EU wants to use Northern Irish backstop only as last resort: Merkel

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union wants to use the so-called Northern Irish backstop only if necessary, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday. "We have made it clear that... we would need the backstop only as an insurance in case we are unable to achieve a deal about our future relationship during the transition period," Merkel said during a news conference in Brussels. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Writing by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Maria Sheahan)