It appears that the break-down (sub needed) of negotiations and Trimble’s rather dramatic exit to Westminster was over the application of sanctions for anyone breaching the ceasefires.
The feeling amongst the Unionists we spoke to last night was that whilst they had no objections to sharing power with Sinn Fein, they were glad that Trimble appears, for once, to have left the ball in the IRA’s court.
In fact, in the west of NI, where Unionists and Loyalists appear to be concerned with their own security above almost any other consideration, substantial decommissioning and a clear public declaration that the war is over seems to be on the minds of people within both the anti and pro Agreement camps more than any detail within the Agreement.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
Discover more from Slugger O'Toole
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
