BERLIN (Reuters) - Britain must spell out quickly what changes it envisages to the Irish “backstop”, an arrangement to avoid a hard border between EU member Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland after Brexit, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Wednesday.

FILE PHOTO: German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas gives a statement before his departure to Washington in Berlin, Germany, January 23, 2019. REUTERS/Martin Schlicht/File Photo

Britain’s parliament late on Tuesday instructed Prime Minister Theresa May to seek changes from the European Union in the negotiated divorce deal, which includes the backstop. The EU has repeatedly said the deal cannot be reopened. [L5N1ZU1MC]

The House of Commons, the lower chamber, also voted late on Tuesday in favour of an amendment ruling out a no-deal Brexit, though that measure is not legally binding. Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29.

“It is important that the British lower house spoke out yesterday against a disorderly Brexit as no one can have an interest in that,” Maas said.

“But the British government has not yet said what changes to the Northern Ireland backstop it envisages. It must now say quickly what it wants because time is running out,” Maas added.

“We are ready to talk. Our position is clear: the Withdrawal Agreement is the best and only solution for an orderly exit.”

The comments from Maas, a leading member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government, suggest Germany could be open to fresh talks on the backstop, the main obstacle to concluding the Brexit divorce deal.

Many British lawmakers, especially in May’s governing Conservative Party, fear the backstop will trap the UK in a permanent customs union with the EU after Brexit.

Ireland and the rest of the EU say there is no credible alternative to the backstop, which would prevent customs and other checks having to be conducted after Brexit on the border between the Irish Republic and British-ruled Northern Ireland.

“On the backstop, Germany and the whole (European) Union stand firmly at Ireland’s side. We will not allow Ireland to be isolated on this issue,” Maas said.