Sir, - At first glance it appears there is reason to celebrate. Catholics and Protestants, nationalists and unionists, Republicans and loyalists have agreed, again, to share power and work together under the guise of a devolved, home-ruled government in Northern Ireland. But history has a way of continually casting a dark shadow over the Emerald Isle. Once more, the warning words of David Trimble, the Ulster Unionists' leader, bear watching: "It is obvious there are limits to how much more we can be stretched".
With dwindling support, 71 per cent in May, 1998, 57 per cent this February and 53 per cent on Saturday last, his political power and voice-of-moderation days may be numbered. The question is: will Trimble continue fighting for what is right in NI - peace with justice for all or will he bow to the traditionalists in order to save his political skin? Assuming the IRA follows through with its pledge of "putting its weapons beyond use", Trimble faces the unpleasant task of spearheading his party's restructuring of NI's myopic police force.
Hopefully, this Nobel Peace Prize winner will place the interests of the whole of Northern Ireland on the table and push for RUC reform rather than merely seeking to consolidate his own political base and settling for the status quo. If he does not, the newly redevolved NI government will likely fail and the hope of a lasting peace in Ireland will continue to be a nightmare instead of a dream come true. - Yours, etc.,
Cathal Liam, Cincinnati, OH 45236, USA.