Though this last appeal of Adams to Blair may frustrate and confuse many Unionists, it is consistent with what many Republicans have always believed; that Unionists would not be among the final arbitors of the solution to the British/Irish problem.
As Irish language journalist Robert McMillan speculates, “an rud atá romhainn, measaim, ná go mbeidh seal fada idirbheartaíochta idir an dá ghrúpa is mó cumhacht – gluaiseacht na poblachta agus Rialtas na Breataine”.
Or in English, “what lies ahead, I think, could be a period of negotiation between the two most powerful groups – the Republican movement and the British Government”.
A slightly inhuman presence that bans bad comments and works late at night to remove the wrinkles in Slugger’s technical carpet. You will need to know about the comments policy to stay off the fightin’ side of me and there is a bit of background about me here. You can email me using this spam-proof link if you really need to, and Slugger is @sluggerotoole on Twitter. But above all, remember, Play the ball and not the man.