Complete end to violence needed to restore North’s power-sharing, urges Blair

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted yesterday that there must be a “complete and unequivocal end to violence” by paramilitaries in Northern Ireland if the power-sharing executive is to be restored.

Mr Blair, speaking outside his Sedgefield home following talks with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, said that new talks between the parties at Leeds Castle, Kent, next week represent a crucial juncture.

Mr Blair said: “It is two years now since I made a speech... about acts of completion, saying in effect we had to move the whole thing forward and get it done.

“Two years on, the elements are still the same.

“It is apparent what has to happen, there has to be a complete and unequivocal end to violence, there has to be a willingness on that basis to share power.”

Mr Ahern said: “The issues are well known to everybody.

“We look forward to the week ahead. I hope that the political will is there. I think we have identified the issues many times.

“There is a clear understanding between the governments (on) what we want to do.

“It is frustrating, to say the least, that the institutions are down for two years.

“It is 10 months since the election. It is very obvious what we require to do.

“We want to get back to the normality of politics in the North, where people are dealing with education, and health and environment and all of the other issues.

“But to do that, we need the institutions up [and running], we need an executive, a working executive, and we need the assembly to be working. It worked well when it was there.

“And if people are prepared to do what we have asked, and what was outlined two years ago, in the statements that the Prime Minister made, and I supported the contents of it, then we can make progress.

“It is very clear what we want to do and we will work together to try and achieve that next week.”

Mr Blair said: “We have got an historic opportunity.

“What has happened over the past few years is that things have definitely improved in Northern Ireland.

“There comes a point where the final decisions have got to be made in a way that brings closure. And that is where we are now.”