QuoteHow is this new news?
The United States called on the Irish Republican Army on Wednesday to lay down its arms sooner rather than later so Northern Ireland can find permanent peace.
"I would very much hope that the IRA would respond soon," said Mitchell Reiss, President George W. Bush's special envoy, as Washington joined forces with London and Dublin to try to get home rule returned to Protestants and Catholics in the province.
Last month Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams appealed to the paramilitaries to use words, not guns to fulfil their aim of ending British rule in Northern Ireland.
Reiss, sandwiching a trip to Belfast between talks in London and Dublin, said: "Everyone I have spoken with so far recognises there is a need for the IRA to respond positively and everyone has said sooner is better than later."
"There is some concern that if it does continue to delay longer, at least much longer, the situation isn't going to remain the same," he warned.
But Reiss said it was important to be patient so that the IRA gave a positive and unambiguous answer.
His visit marks a renewed push to get Northern Ireland's feuding Catholics and Protestants back to the negotiating table after hardliners on both sides of the sectarian divide cemented their grip in this month's British election.
Both Adams and firebrand preacher Ian Paisley, who heads the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), are meeting Prime Minister Tony Blair in London.
Paisley, who fervently wants to maintain ties with Britain, refuses to talk to Adams until the IRA renounces its campaign for a united Ireland by publicly surrendering its weapons.
Blair -- at the beginning of a third term in office that he has said will be his last -- is likely to make a last-ditch effort to restore self-government to the province in order to polish a legacy tarnished by the war in Iraq.
Peace has largely been restored to the province during his leadership following an IRA ceasefire but a lasting political solution has proved elusive.
An assembly set up under the 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement to give both sides a say in Northern Ireland's affairs was short-lived, while a high profile murder outside a Belfast pub and a massive bank robbery blamed on the IRA have made the DUP more determined than ever not to negotiate with Sinn Fein.
Reiss made a particular point in Belfast of seeing the family of the murdered man, Robert McCartney.
They have taken their case to the White House and the European Parliament but still no one has been charged.
"We are a long way from home in terms of getting justice for Robert but I think so far it is going in the right direction," Reiss told reporters after meeting McCartney's sisters.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/050518/325/fj3cu.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes the I.R.A. should listen to the U.S. because they never kill innocent people or fight wars
Life without Rovers, it makes no sense...it's a heartache...nothing but a fools game. S.R.F.C.
How is this new news?
Where did I say it was new news?Originally Posted by pete
Life without Rovers, it makes no sense...it's a heartache...nothing but a fools game. S.R.F.C.
Thats a bit like George Bush denouncing the US war in Iraq. Why doesn't Gerry just order them to stop.Last month Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams appealed to the paramilitaries to use words, not guns to fulfil their aim of ending British rule in Northern Ireland.
Wish to fcuk the States would stay out of everybody else's business
Unless the U.S. intends to invade the North to search for weapons of moderate destruction it is largely just a gesture
Everyone should decommission all their weapons including Ian Paisleyś gob
Ah Well England was incapable of doing that from about 1072 until relatively recently.. the States are still on a learning curve.Wish to fcuk the States would stay out of everybody else's business
Free Wales now, Free Scotland, Vive Les Iles De Manche
Did they find oil under the giants causeway ?Unless the U.S. intends to invade the North to search for weapons of moderate destruction it is largely just a gesture
Slightly on topic - Did anyone else see that former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara (was great documentary/interview with him BBC at the weekend said that US Nuclear waepons policy was illegal & immoral.
sorry off topic here too: wasn't 'fog of war' by any chance was it? doc. about him, supposed to be very good
I want them to give up the weapons but personally i don't think it's any of Americas f*cking buisness.
You seriously think they give a feck, maybe SF do but not those in the military side of things.
Go lí cúnna ifrinn do thóin bheagmhaitheasach
Well said son.
U.S. to IRA: "Lay down your arms now"
IRA: to US: "Oh, right yeah hang on a sec and we'll get rid of em"
American politicians - and we thought we had fools representing us!!!
Yeah thats the one.
I only saw about half it but eventhough just straight interview with video clips thrown in was really engaging. His description of the statistics reported for bombing raids on WWII were amazing - analysis of destruction of Japanese cities per sortie, bomb dropped etc...
chrs, must see itYeah thats the one.
I only saw about half it but eventhough just straight interview with video clips thrown in was really engaging. His description of the statistics reported for bombing raids on WWII were amazing - analysis of destruction of Japanese cities per sortie, bomb dropped etc...
its probibly coming from politions with irish roots 21 of the presidents of the usa have been from irish decent , and a most of the senetors aswell .
but yea its a bit rich coming from a country that has murdered 25 million innocent people around the world , but thats what happens when weapons companies run a country .
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks