Minister Burke calls on people of Northern Ireland to have courage in forthcoming negotiations

Speaking this evening at Newnham College, Cambridge, during the Annual meeting of the British Irish association, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Ray Burke, T.D., said "Nationalists and Unionists must learn to listen to each other and to understand the hopes, fears and grievances which divide them." He said he found it hard to imagine that "for the foreseeable future, either unionists or nationalists are going to become what the other wants them to be."

Asking how it might be possible to find a way round the conflict of aspirations the Minister asserted "I would suggest that if we cannot, at this stage, realistically aspire to a permanent resolution of the constitutional issue which satisfies the aspirations of all, or nearly all, the people of Northern Ireland, we should attempt to deal with the problem by agreeing to constitutional change in both jurisdictions based on the principle of consent in all its aspects.

"If the parties are confident that both communities will be given reassurance on the constitutional issue, what then can be the objection to the parties joining the Governments in achieving a new beginning for relationships within Northern Ireland , within the island of Ireland and between Britain and Ireland, or to agreeing new institutions and structures to take account of the totality of these relationships. Surely, this would be in the best interest of all."

The Minister said "Nationalists want change in the political arrangements on the island of Ireland - both within Northern Ireland and between North and South. They want to see arrangements within Northern Ireland which will allow them to enjoy the same sense of ownership and belonging as unionists. They want to live in a society in which all the people can feel themselves chosen, not just those who belong to the majority community; a society in which the state can be relied upon to ensure parity of esteem and equality of treatment; a society where their Irish language and culture is not treated by the State as alien in its own land. Nationalists throughout Ireland want to see a strong North-South Body invested with the necessary powers to maximise the potential for mutual cooperation between the two parts of the island."

On the issues of consent the Minister reasserted the Government's position that "The principle of consent, as set out in the Downing Street Declaration, is a principle which is supported by parties representing the overwhelming majority of the people on the island of Ireland. I have no problem in stating without ambiguity that any change in the status of Northern Ireland would only come about with the consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland."

The Minister recalled that following the election of David Trimble as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party "there was talk of a "New Unionism"; of a self-confident leadership willing to go out and promote the unionist cause to the world and to negotiate with nationalism. Now, just as was the case two years ago, this conference awaits word from Belfast on the direction in which the UUP will lead unionism."

Minister Burke said "I cannot see that unionist self-interest points in any other direction than entry into inclusive all-party negotiations.

"Unionists want to see a Northern Ireland prospering within the United Kingdom. A Northern Ireland at peace with itself and cooperating with the rest of the island we share together. They want a society in which their children will want to live and raise their own children, rather than one in which the brightest and best are anxious to leave. That sort of Northern Ireland can only come about with the consent of the nationalist community who make up perhaps 43% of the population and are themselves in a majority across large parts of Northern Ireland.

To obtain that consent, unionists have to be prepared to talk to both nationalists and the Irish Government. This is not a big risk to take. In fact, it is hardly a risk at all, since not alone is their position underpinned by the principle of consent, but the Governments have made clear that any agreement will have to be approved by referendum in Northern Ireland."

The Minister went on "If the unionist parties do not come out of the trenches and engage in negotiations they run the risk of being by-passed - not by the Governments, but by the people.

"Would it not be ironic if those who criticised the Governments for not adequately consulting them on the Anglo-Irish Agreement, the Downing Street Declaration, and the Framework Document were to spurn the opportunity of full involvement in the negotiations for which these documents were ultimately preparing the way? Negotiations, moreover, which have a specific provision whereby agreement in the negotiations can take place only with the support of parties representing both the unionist and nationalist communities."

Recalling that Sinn Féin and the loyalist parties have committed themselves to the Mitchell Principles the Minister said "These are a strong test of the commitment of these parties to democracy and non-violence. The two Governments will expect all parties in the negotiations to honour their commitment to each and every one of these principles."

Positing that politicians do not have sole responsibility for securing a peaceful future the Minister said "Many have argued, most cogently in my view, that the most effective way to remove the gun from Irish politics is to decommission the mind-set which regards violence as an acceptable means of achieving political ends. But we also need to eliminate the mind-set which tolerates sectarian hatred." He continued "Politicians can only deliver lasting peace if they have the support of the community. Those who are prepared to take risks to bring about lasting peace deserve the support of those on whose behalf they are taking those risks. Those who sit on the fence deserve to be left there."

In conclusion the Minister called on the people of Northern Ireland to have a different quality of courage to that which they have hitherto shown "The courage to reach out, to engage in dialogue, to show imagination, and to enter into compromise. With this kind of courage I believe that we can construct a fair, honourable and comprehensive agreement, which will see the gun and the bomb forever removed from the political life of these islands, and which all parties can, with dignity and pride, ask their people to accept and endorse."Top