The opening positions in the North talks may "seem irreconcilable" but the party leaders would not be gathering in Belfast today "were it not for the pressure for peace that is so palpable", the New York Times said yesterday. An editorial headed "The Architecture of an Irish Peace", continues: "Whether the citizens of Northern Ireland get the permanent peace they dearly want and clearly deserve depends on whether Protestant and Catholic leaders alike are willing to settle for something less than their ultimate goals."
To escape the "straitjacket" of the opposing views of unionists and nationalists on a united Ireland, "the negotiators should begin by searching for small steps to build confidence and trust". The most urgent is for nationalists to reassure unionists by relinquishing some IRA arms.
"Sinn Fein was admitted to the talks with the tacit understanding that this would happen as the talks proceeded. But last week, the IRA announced that it would not give up any arms until a final settlement was reached. Eventually, all sides must disarm."
If some early progress could be made, the outline of a possible settlement was visible in a series of documents issued by the British and Irish governments since 1985.