<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">EU chief Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Liz Truss on being named Britain's next prime minister Monday, but said London and Brussels must work "in full respect of our agreements".</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Truss, the outgoing British foreign minister, has warned that she will push ahead to pass proposed UK legislation to tear up part of Britain's Brexit deal with the European Union.</div><div><br></div><div>"The EU and the UK are partners. We face many challenges together, from climate change to Russia's invasion of Ukraine," von der Leyen said, in a congratulatory tweet.</div><div><br></div><div>"I look forward to a constructive relationship, in full respect of our agreements," she added, in what will be seen as a reference to the Northern Ireland Protocol.</div><div><br></div><div>This clause, part of the agreement under which Britain left the European Union, retains the British province of Northern Ireland inside the EU customs zone and single market.</div><div><br></div><div>This was intended to prevent the return of a trade border between the north and Ireland, which remains an EU member, and was signed and approved by Truss's outgoing predecessor Boris Johnson.</div><div><br></div><div>But some in Northern Ireland argue that the protocol weakens their link to the UK, and Truss supports legislation progressing through the London parliament to unilaterally dump it.</div><div><br></div><div>Brussels has already begun legal action attacking Britain for failure to respect parts of the withdrawal deal, and warned that ditching the protocol could torpedo the whole agreement.</div><div><br></div><div>Undaunted by talk of a trade war with the EU, Truss said in mid-August she was "absolutely determined" to ram the bill through in the weeks ahead. She is due to take office on Tuesday. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>