THE British-Irish Council remains a “valuable forum” for the Isle of Man and will continue to be an important platform where the Island has equal standing with all the British government bodies.
That is the view of Chief Minister Tony Brown following the latest summit meeting in London on Monday which was also attended by Treasury Minister Anne Craine and Environment Minister John Shimmin.
“‘The Isle of Man is an integral part of the British economy,” he said. “I was able to highlight once again the importance of the Island’s strategy of economic diversification and our mutually beneficial links to the City of London.
“The British-Irish Council has always been a valuable forum for the Isle of Man, allowing us to take our place amongst the governments of the British islands and discuss matters of mutual interest at the highest level. It affords us the respect and recognition we need to strengthen our international identity.
“The Summit in London provided an opportunity for member states to share ideas on a number of issues, including ways to address our fiscal and energy challenges and encourage a more sustainable future for people across our islands.”
The BIC, established under the terms of the Good Friday peace agreement, is the only international forum comprising the governments of the UK, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey.
It plays an important role in developing positive links between member countries and provides a platform for consultation and co-operation on issues of common interest.
During the London summit, the Chief Minister took the opportunity to hold informal discussions with Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg on a range of topics, including the Island’s VAT sharing agreement with the UK.
The Isle of Man Ministers took their place alongside senior politicians from sovereign governments, devolved institutions and crown dependencies, joining delegations led by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (UK), Taoiseach Enda Kenny (Ireland), First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness (Northern Ireland), First Minister Alex Salmond (Scotland), First Minister Carwyn Jones (Wales), Deputy Chief Minister Philip Ozouf (Jersey) and Chief Minister Lyndon Trott (Guernsey).
The summit examined the current economic situation and how member states are continuing efforts to rebalance their finances.
