THREE of New York’s leading politicians feel that a lasting peace settlement in Northern Ireland is virtually a formality at this juncture, even though it will take some time for necessary changes to take root. At a Northern Ireland forum hosted by the Brehon Law Society at Nassau Community College in Garden City, Long Island on Saturday afternoon, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Congressmen Peter King and Joe Crowley agreed that the parties in the North are close to a deal which would return devolved government to the North and finally settle issues such as decommissioning, demilitarization and policing. “I think there is a great deal of hope this week that an announcement will be made that will push the process to the next level,” Crowley told the roughly 100 members of the audience.

Clinton also expressed a positive outlook. “We’re optimistic we will see progress in a relatively short period of time,” she said. “It is easy to get impatient and wonder why things take so long, but in the history of the Troubles it has been a steady march forward, with some halts and difficulties. We’re hoping (President Bush) will put his seal on something positive.”

The forum’s moderator Dr. Maureen Murphy sought comment from the panelists, which also included Irish Senator Timothy Dooley from Co. Clare, on a number of contentious issues in the North. On the subject of policing, King was firm that the British government hasn’t to date gone far enough to make the force a trustworthy one for Nationalists.

“For society in the North to be normalized, it’s going to require a police force accepted by both communities,” he said. “The British government should have implemented more of the Patten reforms than it did. Once there are reforms implemented, you will see more Nationalists joining. And I think the outstanding issues are close to being reformed.”

With regards to the IRA decommissioning that Unionists are demanding before signing off on a deal, Clinton said the issue was “symbolic more than anything.”

“Given the world as it exists today, you could destroy every weapon and rebuild in a matter of weeks,” she said. “It just comes down to a symbolic gesture to demonstrate trust. It will be a symbolic leap of faith, but I think it has very little practical consequence.

“But we’re moving forward. One of the messages in Gerry Adams’ speech is that we’re moving down that road,” she added, referring to the Sinn Fein president’s address to his party convention two weekends ago in which he said he could envisage a future without the IRA.

“I think decommissioning is bound to happen,” said King, who has been an ardent supporter of Sinn Fein for several years.

He also didn’t give much credence to Republican splinter groups such as the Real IRA. “Once the Good Friday Agreement is fully implemented there will be no support for these groups,” he feels. “They’ll just be seen as renegade groups.”

Crowley stated that no matter the outcome of this week’s crucial meetings, which will culminate on Thursday, the fifth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, with a new British/Irish government blueprint, much work remains to be done in the future.

“I pray every night that there’s no going back,” Crowley said. “So much has happened during the past 11 years, and we’ve come so far. But there’s a ways to go, and it’s going to take perseverance.” Crowley also paid tribute to the efforts of President Bush, and admitted he was initially skeptical that President Clinton’s successor would show the same interest in Northern Ireland.

“To Bush’s credit he appointed Richard Haass to pick up the reins after a lull,” Crowley said. “Many of us on the Democratic side of the aisle were quietly concerned about his appointment. But he has been an important part of the process.”

King agreed that the U.S. role in securing peace in the North has been vital. “President Clinton made the U.S. an honest broker,” he said. “The U.S. has close relations with all the parties in Northern Ireland.” Clinton recalled that it was an Irish American forum in New York City 11 years ago when her husband, then seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, became completely aware of the issues in Northern Ireland.

“He had not had any previous experience of focusing on what really needed to be done,” she said. “All the proposals struck him as so commonsensical.”

Clinton also stressed that the Irish American community must stay involved in the North’s future. “No matter how the week plays out, we must remain committed to providing the support that the parties need,” she said.

All three politicians also said they were watching developments in the Bloody Sunday inquiry which is ongoing in Co. Derry. “The fact that Tony Blair authorized an investigation was a leap of faith,” King said. “There’s no doubt that there was serious misconduct by the British Army that day. I think you will find a conclusion that serious crimes were committed, and that there was a cover-up at the highest levels.”

The forum lasted for over an hour, but there was little time at the end for audience questions. The politicians and the Brehon Law Society pledged to meet again. “Never underestimate the importance of meetings like this, and talking to people who are either in office or running for office,” Clinton said.

 (Irish Voice) 03 Apr 2003

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