The Northern Ireland First Minister, Mr David Trimble, was given a standing ovation by members of the European Parliament in Brussels yesterday in honour of his recent Nobel Peace Prize award. The co-recipient of the award, Mr John Hume, had been honoured in a similar fashion by an earlier sitting of the parliament.
Mr Trimble and the Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon, were visiting the parliament with more than 90 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The issue of decommissioning illegal weapons was raised from the floor of the Parliament by the Rev Ian Paisley, who said some 200 convicted terrorists had been released without any effort on the part of the terrorist organisations to hand in their weapons.
"I am sure this parliament as a democratic parliament would look to lend their voice in support that they who want to choose the democratic way will do it democratically and will hand in their weapons and rid us of the plague of terrorism on both sides of the divide," Dr Paisley said.
Mr John Hume said it was the first time the entire membership of an assembly from any region in Europe had come to the parliament while it was in session.
"In relation to the matters raised by Mr Paisley, those matters are dealt with adequately in the agreement, and the task of us all is to implement all aspects of the agreement, and all parties should do it together," Mr Hume said.
Earlier Mr Trimble and Mr Mallon had a breakfast meeting with the permanent representatives of the 15 European Union governments.
Later the two men were joined by the North's political development minister, Mr Paul Murphy, and Mr Hume, for a meeting with the president of the parliament, Mr Gil Robles.
Mr Trimble said that at the different meetings "we have discussed the ways in which the new institutions in Northern Ireland can represent Northern Ireland's case in Europe in association with the MEPs and the UK government as well, to enhance that representation.
"We have also been looking at what can be done with regard to the future of the structural funds and the special fund for peace and reconciliation."
Mr Mallon said: "This is a two-way process. The European Union has seriously helped in the North of Ireland in a very serious way. Our part of the bargain, as it were, is to assure people here that we are serious."
Hosting a lunch for the Assembly members, the European Commissioner, Mr Padraig Flynn, said employment policy must be a priority in Northern Ireland.
"My wish would be that you would see it as a key priority for your Assembly".
Responding to Mr Flynn, Mr Mallon said: "There are two peace processes. One is known as the European Union, because really that was the genesis of what is now known as the EU. We have the peace process and we are all part of it in Northern Ireland, and both of those have a common objective that never again in any of the European countries and never again in Northern Ireland where we live is there going to be violence, war, dissension on the scale there has been."
He looked forward to the creation in Northern Ireland of a system of administration, structures and institutions of such quality "that we can at any time come to Brussels or go anywhere in this world and walk tall, knowing that we are fulfilling the obligation that we set for ourselves in the Good Friday agreement".