David Trimble lays out what unionists expect from Sinn Fein and the IRA. Apparently Tony Blair has slightly delayed his departure for Northern Ireland after Gerry Adams made his press conference speech this morning.
Perhaps the most tantalising bit is this:
I want to appeal directly to those organisations which are not on cessation at this time. While calling on all armed groups to desist I want to appeal especially to organisations which present themselves as Republican. I appeal to them to join with the rest of us, Republicans and Unionists, Nationalists and Loyalists, in taking a leap forward together and collectively building a new future based on justice and peace.
Anyone looking at this situation during the 1960’s, the 1970’s, the 1980’s and for much of the 1990’s, could be forgiven for believing that there are some conflicts which simply never end, where distrust and hatred are so much a part of the fabric of the society that things will never change.
But things have changed.
Our success in bringing this about was not a matter of chance, it was a matter of choice. And republicans helped shape and give voice to that choice. For our part Sinn F�in is totally committed to establishing an entirely new, democratic and harmonious future with our unionist neighbours.
Like it or not we’re all in this together.
Not much in substance here yet. We may expect that after De Chastellaine has reported on the latest decommissioning. And more particularly in a direct statement from the IRA.
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
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