Tentative progress makes sense

IN the high stakes game of political poker between Belfast, Dublin and London, hope is growing that the stalled Good Friday peace agreement will soon be back on track.

Following what the Irish Government described as the “positive aspects” of the latest IRA statement, indicating that “much progress” has been achieved, the decision not to accept at face value the organisation’s initial declaration has been vindicated.

Pending an IRA response to requests for more detail, it makes sense to keep on ice the proposals for implementing the accord in full.