Peace process - Basis for optimism as towers fall

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern was quite positive and upbeat in his remarks yesterday about the Northern peace process.

He welcomed as "very significant" the British Government's announcement that they have begun to remove the two British Army watchtowers in South Armagh near Forkhill and Newry.

Those towers, which are being demolished as part of Britain's demilitarisation commitment, have long been an issue of contention with the local nationalist community, which contains some of the most militant republicans.

The Taoiseach also welcomed the IRA's statement that Gerry Adams was speaking for the organisation last week. When Mr Ahern asked for that clarification at the time, he was told that "there was no possibility of that". Hence, he was particularly pleased he has since received the precise assurance on that point.

The IRA's clarification in the matter of the procurement of arms and punishment beatings followed by the British Government's announcement in relation to the watchtowers amounted to very significant progress in little over a week. There is, therefore, a basis for optimism that other necessary steps can be taken, and the latest progress should facilitate further moves in the right direction.

The two governments are pressing ahead with the implementation of the Joint Declaration and they will proceed on those elements that they can implement either jointly or separately, pending just two remaining clarifications that are still outstanding from those on both sides of the Northern divide.

The IRA must still indicate that it will commit itself to the principle that the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement "means the complete and final closure of the conflict". The other clarification will have to be provided by David Trimble and the Ulster Unionist Party.

The unionists will have to state just as clearly as the IRA that they are prepared to implement the Good Friday Agreement with all of its implications.

Mr Trimble is going to have to state that he and all of his party will abandon their obstructionist tactics and actually facilitate cross-party operation in the Assembly. They have deliberately blocked the necessary co-operation at different times over the last four years.

Mr Ahern pulled no punches in criticising the way in which Mr Trimble and the Ulster Unionists have impeded operations in the Assembly with what he called their "nonsense of the last four years". This certainly needed to be said, because it seemed that no matter how much consideration was shown for Mr Trimble's difficulties, he never seemed to be prepared to consider the difficulties of others.

To function properly, power-sharing requires co-operation between all of the participating parties.

Sinn Féin and the Ulster Unionists will have to accept their own responsibility to make it work.