LONDON, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Monday that time was running out for Prime Minister Theresa May to reach a Brexit compromise with Britain's devolved governments.
May traveled to Cardiff for a joint ministerial meeting with the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
It was the first meeting of the leaders since the vote by the Supreme Court that the British government needed a vote by the Westminster parliament to trigger the article 50 process to start Britain's exit from the European Union.
The court also ruled that Britain's relationship with Brussels would be determined by Westminster.
Sturgeon has been insisting that Scotland, where the vast majority voted against leaving the EU, wanted a deal that maintained its membership of the European single market.
After the meeting in the Welsh capital, Sturgeon told a media briefing that "time is running out" to reach a compromise with the British government.
Sturgeon said she remained to be convinced and needed to see tangible evidence that proposals for a differentiated Brexit deal for Scotland are being taken seriously by May's government.
In Glasgow, the Herald newspaper commented that Sturgeon's remarks will give rise to speculation that she could announce a second referendum on Scottish independence from Britain as early as March.
She said in terms of her being able to judge whether Scotland's voice will be heard in the Brexit negotiations, the next few weeks are very important.
The First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, also said the interests of Wales had to be protected in any Brexit deal.
"Britain is going to leave the EU, but it is how we will leave the EU, ensuring that all four parts of the UK have their say on how this should happen," Jones said.
May pledged to engage the devolved governments in the Brexit process, but she said they will not agree on everything, adding "but that doesn't mean we will shy away from the necessary conversations".
An official joint communique after the Cardiff meeting said: "Consideration of the proposals of the devolved administrations is an ongoing process. Work will need to be intensified ahead of triggering Article 50 and continued at the same pace thereafter."
Among the politicians at the private meeting were Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the British government's Brexit Secretary David Davis and trade secretary Liam Fox.
After the Cardiff meeting May traveled to Dublin for a meeting with the Irish prime minister Enda Kenny. The pair discussed the impact of Brexit on the border between the Irish republic and Northern Ireland.
There has been an open border between both sides since the 1920s, but that could change depending on the deal Britain negotiates with Brussels. Ireland would remain a member of the EU.
