Peace process – Chance must not be squandered

advance of today’s EU-US summit, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair held meetings in London yesterday in an effort to advance the peace process in Northern Ireland.

Both men will meet again at today’s summit in Dromoland Castle which will discuss Iraq, the Middle East and transatlantic trade and economic matters.

Amid the tightest security operation ever mounted in the State, because of the presence of US President George W Bush, today’s summit will also include the signing of an agreement on EU-US economic partnership. However, yesterday’s London meeting dealt solely with Northern Ireland.

Having held bilateral discussions with the North’s political parties, both leaders announced a deadline of next September for further talks to try to restore devolution.

Several days will be set aside in the autumn to engage with all sides to try to end the impasse in the North’s political process, which has lasted for nearly two years.

Since direct rule was reimposed in October 2002, political institutions have been suspended there, effectively freezing the peace process.

Several contentious issues are hindering progress, such as continuing paramilitary activity and the refusal by Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party to share power with Sinn Féin unless the IRA finally ceases all its activity.

Other pivotal areas are those of policing, decommissioning and the institutions.

Although both leaders are anxious for the institutions to be restored, Mr Blair hinted that if the renewed efforts in September fail to reach an accommodation which would facilitate such a result, then an alternative would be considered which would not preclude the dissolution of Stormont.

This is, in effect, advising the parties that time is beginning to run out, but what characterises Northern Ireland is the fact that deadlines usually turn out to be moveable feasts, if political expediency demands it.

However, the parties in the North will be cognisant of the fact that a British election is looming in the middle of next year. So it will be imperative that once the talks commence in September the momentum is maintained to reach a solution well before attention is deflected by the election.

Of immediate concern is the start of the Orange Order marching season and already the one planned for Whiterock today, which is set to go through part of the nationalist west Belfast, is causing tension.

While a compromise may be reached, talks between nationalist residents and the Parades Forum have failed to reach an accommodation.