Claim: World may benefit from peace process legacy

The lasting legacy of the North’s peace process could be to point a way forward for other conflict zones around the world, a leading US statesman claimed today.

Senator George Mitchell, who chaired the talks which led to the Good Friday Agreement, made the claim after details emerged of a conference in Belfast next year which will take stock of the power-sharing accord 10 years on.

The Queen’s University conference, named after Senator Mitchell, will involve some of the key architects of the Agreement including David Trimble and Seamus Mallon, who were the First and Deputy First Ministers of the Stormont power-sharing executive from 1998 to 2002.

Ex-South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission chairman Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former President Mary Robinson and former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds will join academics, journalists, lawyers and community and youth workers at the event on May 22 and 23.

Senator Mitchell, who is a chancellor of the University, said today: “Northern Ireland has come a long way in the past 10 years.

“The fabric of society has changed beyond all recognition and its people are enjoying the benefits of a settled society. Although not perfect, so much has been achieved and a strong local Assembly is in place.

“The two days in May will bring people together from different walks of life, all of whom were integral to building peace and securing future stability.

“The conference embraces the political leaders involved in negotiations and community workers who did so much at grassroots level.

“Northern Ireland’s lasting legacy could be in showing the way to possible solutions in other conflicts such as Iraq.”

In the 10 years which have followed the Agreement, the first power-sharing government broke down on a number of occasions over demands for IRA disarmament and concerns about paramilitary activity.

The Ulster Unionists and the SDLP were eventually overtaken in elections by the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Féin who, to the surprise of some opponents, put aside old enmities to form a new power-sharing executive in May headed by Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness.

Other major milestones have included the Provisional IRA announcing in July 2005 that its armed campaign was over and the completion of its disarmament programme in September of that year.

In a groundbreaking move, Sinn Féin signed up in January this year to participating in policing in the North at a special party conference - paving the way for the return of power sharing.

In May this year, the Ulster Volunteer Force announced it was moving to a non-military, civilianised role and putting its weapons beyond reach.

Pressure has also been mounting in recent months on the other main loyalist group the Ulster Defence Association/Ulster Freedom Fighters to follow suit.

The success of the peace process has attracted the attention of peace-makers looking to resolve conflicts in Sri Lanka, the Basque country and between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Last month Mr McGuinness and Democratic Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson briefed Sunnis and Shiites from Iraq at talks in Finland.

Vice-chancellor of Queen’s University Professor Peter Gregson said it was appropriate, 10 years on from the Agreement, that there should be an event for those who forged it and those who could learn from it.

“The conference will make a significant contribution to our understanding of how best to manage and resolve conflict situations.

“Senator Mitchell played a key role in negotiating the Agreement. He is a towering international statesman who has made an enormous contribution to Queen’s and to Northern Ireland.

“I am delighted that he has given his name to this event, that he has played such an important role in developing the programme and that he will give the opening address.”