The sequence of statements orchestrated by the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister over the weekend holds out the best chance yet of fully implementing the Belfast Agreement and fulfilling the democratic wishes of the people as expressed in historic referendums, North and South. The statements by Mr Ahern and Mr Blair, followed by the IRA, break new ground in the political and decommissioning process in Northern Ireland and offer the real prospect that the Executive and cross-border institutions can be restored, without loss of honour to unionists or republicans, on the second anniversary of the agreement later this month.
The two leaders have spent many days and nights over the past two years trying to break the deadlock which has plagued the implementation of the agreement at every hand's turn: the relationship in a democratic society between participation in government and the decommissioning of paramilitary arms. They are to be commended for having succeeded in bringing greater clarity and certainty to the issue, in this final push to salvage the most inclusive accommodation to be offered to all on this island.
The IRA's statement on Saturday is highly significant in its own terms. For the first time in the peace process, the republican movement has made the commitment to "completely and verifiably put arms beyond use". Furthermore, in a move which both Mr Ahern and the Sinn Fein leader, Mr Adams, have described as "unprecedented", the IRA has also agreed to the regular inspection of a number of its arms dumps by two named third parties who will report to the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.
It remains to be seen, at this point, whether this new commitment from the IRA - which is reported to be an advance on the offer it made to General de Chastelain at the eleventh hour before the suspension of the institutions last February - will be sufficient for Mr Trimble and the Ulster Unionist Party. Mr Trimble opined yesterday that the IRA statement appeared to break new ground. He cautioned, however, that whether he could bring his party with him back into government would also depend on how the British Government responded to concerns that the unionists had already raised. These concerns relate to changes in the title and emblems of the RUC as recommended in the Patten Report.
In their joint report following the IRA statement on Saturday, the two Governments set out firm deadlines for implementing the remaining parts of the agreement. They addressed rights, safeguards and equality of opportunity. They promised that the European Convention on Human Rights would be incorporated into domestic law in October. They made firm commitments on demilitarisation, justice and prisoners. The legislative, structural and recruitment proposals in the Patten Report will be brought into force between next November and April 2001. The nature of the breakthrough on the arms issue restores the promise that the agreement can be implemented from May 22nd and the year thereafter. It is now a matter of political judgement what concessions may have to be made to Mr Trimble to ease his political difficulties. But there must be no backsliding on the need to create a police service which commands the support of all sections of the community. Badges, titles and emblems have more than symbolic significance in Northern Ireland. Any dilution of Patten's recommendations is not to be encouraged.