UK, Ireland Launch Peace Plan for Northern IrelandThe British and Irish governments unveiled their latest proposals Wednesday to break the deadlock in the Northern Ireland peace process.The document, drawn up after intensive talks three weeks ago that failed to reach an agreement, was presented Wednesday to the political parties involved in the process. The 10-page document was entitled "Proposals for the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement" and the parties have been given only five days to respond. The package covers all four outstanding issues --- policing, normalization, the stability of the institutions, and decommissioning. The two governments said they believed it represented "a fair, balanced and justified package of proposals." "In this context, these proposals set out the steps we would take as part of a package to secure the full implementation of the agreement," said the governments. It is aimed at resolving the outstanding issues in the implementation of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement (GFA) and preserving Northern Ireland devolution. After weeks of talks with the pro-agreement parties, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern have produced the most comprehensive package of proposals since the agreement was signed. The latest crisis in the peace process came following the resignation of Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble as Northern Ireland first minister on July 1 because the Irish Republican Army (IRA) had not begun to disarm. |
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