EU's Barnier: Ready to improve EU proposal on Irish backstop

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, crossed the newswires in the last hour to deliver the remarks seen below.

• EU leaders meeting in October to be ‘moment of truth’.
• Two issues still outstanding, must make headway on issue of Ireland.
• Ready to improve EU proposal on Irish backstop.
• Need fully operational backstop that would protect integrity of EU single market.
• Irish backstop would only apply until better solution found.
• Will see if a Brexit agreement is ‘within reach’ in October.
• Irish backstop must be legally operational and respect UK constitutional integrity.
• Working to improve proposal on Irish border backstop after Brexit.
• New Irish backstop proposal will be about 'set of technical checks and controls’, not about sea or land border.