DATE=07/22/99
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-11393
TITLE=STRUGGLING TO SAVE THE NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE ACCORD
BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
TELEPHONE=619-3335
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: BRITISH AND IRISH OFFICIALS -- ALONG WITH A FORMER U-S
SENATOR -- ARE STRUGGLING TO SAVE THE NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE
ACCORD FROM FAILURE. THE U-S PRESS HAS BEEN AGONIZING OVER THE
APPARENT DEMISE OF THE GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT OF LAST YEAR, AND WE
GET A SAMPLING NOW FROM ________________ IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION
ROUNDUP.
TEXT: A NEW NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY, WITH REPRESENTATION OF
ALL PARTIES, WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN SEATED THIS WEEK, BUT THE
ULSTER UNIONISTS REFUSED TO TAKE PART BECAUSE THE I-R-A HAD
REFUSED TO BEGIN DISARMING.
IN AN EFFORT TO BREAK THE STALEMATE, FORMER MAINE SENATOR GEORGE
MITCHELL HAS FLOWN BACK TO NORTHERN IRELAND TO TRY TO BRING THE
VARIOUS PARTIES TOGETHER. HE SAYS THE AGREEMENT CAN BE RESCUED,
BUT IT WILL TAKE TIME.
IN THE U-S PRESS, THE DISAPPOINTMENT AT THIS LATEST TURN OF
EVENTS IS HARDLY CONCEALED. AND THERE IS CRITICISM FOR BOTH
SIDES. HERE'S SOME OF A "[NEW YORK] DAILY NEWS" EDITORIAL.
TEXT: NORTHERN IRELAND UNIONIST PARTY CHIEF DAVID TRIMBLE MUST
BE AFRAID OF PEACE. THAT'S THE ONLY POSSIBLE
EXPLANATION FOR HIS STUBBORN RESISTANCE TO THE SOUND
DIPLOMATIC COMPROMISES FROM GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND
AIMED AT GETTING HIM TO HONOR THE GOOD FRIDAY PEACE
ACCORD. ... THE STICKING POINT IS [MR.] TRIMBLE'S
UNREALISTIC DEMAND THAT THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY GIVE
UP ITS WEAPONS **BEFORE** [ITALICS FOR EMPHASIS] ITS
POLITICAL ARM -- SINN FEIN -- CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE
ALL-PARTY GOVERNMENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND. ... THE
LATEST TRIMBLE ROADBLOCK COULD STALL THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE GOOD FRIDAY ACCORD FOR WEEKS OR MONTHS. /// OPT
/// ... THE CAR BOMBS, THE ASSASSINATIONS, THE BLOOD
AND LOSS OF INNOCENCE OF AN ENTIRE GENERATION HAVE DONE
NOTHING BUT DEEPEN THE DIVIDE BETWEEN PROTESTANTS AND
CATHOLICS. HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO END THE HORROR OF
THE PAST. IT'S SO CLOSE. SEIZE IT./// END OPT ///
TEXT: IN RHODE ISLAND, "THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL" TAKES A VERY
DIFFERENT VIEW, SUMMING UP A RECENT EDITORIAL WITH THIS
STATEMENT.
VOICE: I-R-A DISARMAMENT IS ESSENTIAL TO GENUINE PEACE IN
NORTHERN IRELAND. THAT'S WHAT MR. MITCHELL, MR. [TONY]
BLAIR, IRISH PRIME MINISTER BERTIE AHERN, AND OTHER
POTENTIAL PEACEMAKERS NEED TO FOCUS ON -- INSTEAD OF
BLAMING THIS IMPASSE ON THE ULSTER LOYALISTS AND ISSUING
ULTIMATUMS AIMED AT PRESSURING THEM TO COMPLY WITH THE
SINN FEIN-I-R-A-DEMANDS.
TEXT: IN OHIO, "THE [CLEVELAND] PLAIN DEALER" EXPRESSES ITS
FRUSTRATION AT THIS LATEST STUMBLING BLOCK, NOTING:
VOICE: IT IS FUTILE TO ASK THE WORLD AT LARGE, AS A TOP BRITISH
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL DID ... NOT TO LOOK FOR SOMEONE TO
BLAME FOR THE APPARENT COLLAPSE OF THE NORTHERN IRELAND
PEACE PROCESS. ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SECTARIAN DIVIDE IN
THE BRITISH-RULED PROVINCE, SCAPEGOATS ALREADY HAVE BEEN
FOUND. FOR ROMAN CATHOLIC NATIONALISTS, THEY ARE THE
ULSTER UNIONISTS AND ESPECIALLY THE LEADER ... DAVID
TRIMBLE. FOR PROTESTANT LOYALISTS, THE VILLAINS ARE
THE POLITICAL PARTY SINN FEIN AND THE PARAMILITARY GROUP
INVARIABLY ASSOCIATED WITH IT, THE IRISH REPUBLICAN
ARMY. ... RENEWED CONFLICT IS NOT INEVITABLE, BUT IN
THE WEEKS AHEAD, IT WILL REQUIRE UNCEASING EFFORTS BY
UNIONIST AND NATIONALIST LEADERS ALIKE TO SOOTHE
PASSIONS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CAMPS.
TEXT: TURNING TO THE CAPITOL OF CALIFORNIA, "THE SACRAMENTO BEE"
DESPAIRS THAT THE AGREEMENT, BORN OF SO MANY MONTHS OF TORTUOUS
DISCUSSIONS, HAS BEEN SO QUICKLY CAST ASIDE.
VOICE: .LEADERS MUST FIND A WAY TO KEEP IT [THE AGREEMENT]
ALIVE. OTHERWISE, THE THREAT OF RENEWED VIOLENCE --
MORE THAN 32-HUNDRED PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN 30 YEARS OF
CONFLICT -- WILL GROW, AND THE OUTLAWED IRISH
REPUBLICAN ARMY WILL HAVE SUCCEEDED IN DERAILING A
POWER-SHARING PEACE PLAN THAT OVERWHELMING MAJORITIES OF
PROTESTANTS AND CATHOLICS SUPPORT. ... WHAT'S AT STAKE
IS THE FIRST-EVER CHANCE FOR THE PEOPLE OF NORTHERN
IRELAND TO GOVERN THEMSELVES WITHIN THE UNITED KINGDOM
UNDER A FORMULA THAT GIVES CATHOLICS, FOR THE FIRST
TIME, A SHARE OF POWER PROPORTIONATE TO THEIR NUMBERS.
PROTESTANT HESITATION IS JUSTIFIED, BUT THE ALTERNATIVE
-- NO ACCORD, NO HOME RULE AND, AS A CONSEQUENCE, NO
PEACE -- LOOKS MUCH WORSE ...
TEXT: "THE BOSTON GLOBE," IN A CITY AND REGION FAMOUS FOR ITS
LARGE IRISH-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, BEMOANS WHAT IT SEES AS THE
PROBLEM.
VOICE: AT THE CLIMAX OF A YEARLONG CONTROVERSY, DAVID TRIMBLE
FOLLOWED THE EXAMPLE OF ALL BUT ONE OF HIS PREDECESSORS
AS LEADERS OF UNIONISM IN NORTHERN IRELAND. HE SAID
'NO' TO THE BEST CHANCE IN A CENTURY TO MEND THE RIFT
BETWEEN THE CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS OF ULSTER AND
TRANSFORMED HIMSELF FROM A NOBEL-PRIZE-WINNING STATESMAN
INTO THE CHIEFTAIN OF A NARROW, PROVINCIAL PARTY.
TEXT: BUT "THE NEW YORK POST" SEES ANOTHER VILLAIN:
VOICE: YOU NEED NOT HARBOR SYMPATHIES OF ANY SORT FOR THE
GOONS ON THE PROTESTANT SIDE OF THE CONFLICT .... TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE CAN BE NO LASTING POLITICAL
SETTLEMENT THERE SO LONG AS THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY
REMAINS UNAPOLOGETICALLY ARMED TO THE TEETH. .... IT IS
... THE I-R-A'S BELLIGERENT REFUSAL TO OFFER EVEN A FIG
LEAF REGARDING THE 'DECOMMISSIONING' - - TURNING IN -
- OF ITS SUBSTANTIAL ARSENAL THAT HAS PUT THE ULSTER
PEACE PROCESS ONCE AGAIN UP ON THE BLOCKS.
TEXT: THAT CONCLUDES THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT ON THE POLITICAL
IMPASSE IN NORTHERN IRELAND.
NEB/ANG/KL
22-Jul-99 1:59 PM EDT (1759 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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