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Negotiations Seek End to IRA Threat
The British and Irish governments summoned rival Northern Ireland parties Thursday to a moat-encircled castle in hopes of crafting a new peace package for the British territory. But progress in the expected three-day diplomatic push at medieval Leeds Castle east of London could depend, crucially, on the actions of an organization not officially at the table: the outlawed Irish Republican Army.
| How many years have they been working on this? |
A Catholic-Protestant administration for Northern Ireland — the central achievement of the U.S.-brokered Good Friday peace accord of 1998 — fell apart two years ago after suffering a string of crises linked to the IRA's activities and refusal to disarm.
| It's called "negotiating in bad faith." |
The prime ministers of Britain and Ireland, Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern, have long agreed that any revival of power-sharing requires the IRA to disband. Both are gambling that, under their stewardship this week, negotiations with the IRA's Sinn Fein party will finally deliver that goal.
| Yeah. I'm gambling that I'm gonna wake up slender and svelt tomorrow morning, with a full head of hair... |
Posted by: Fred 2004-09-16 |
