Sir, - Dennis Kennedy sees "the unfinished business" of "the continuing demand for the unification of Ireland" as being "the great obstacle to any settlement in Northern Ireland" (The Irish Times, November 14th).
But without quite saying so he is clearly aware, from his references to the Downing Street Declaration and the Framework Document, that the constitutional position of Northern Ireland is also unfinished business for the British government. What other interpretation can be put on its stated willingness to introduce legislation to bring about a united Ireland or other agreement about future relationships in Ireland, if this is the freely given wish of majorities North and South?
Unionists and indeed nationalists should not be surprised by this. It is arguable that Northern Ireland, since the Government of Ireland Act 1920 with its provisions for a Council of Ireland and an all-Ireland Parliament, was always unfinished business for Britain. This unfolding was interrupted by the Treaty and the Ireland (Confirmation of Agreement) Act 1925, but the possibility of constitutional change was implicit in Section 1 of both the 1949 Ireland Act and the 1973 Northern Ireland Constitution Act.
If unionists and nationalists were to come to terms with this and accept openly that constitutional and other forms of development must take place, then the current negotiations could be transformed. They might then take on a common determination and purpose, grounded in the principle of consent, to find and establish workable, mutually beneficial arrangements and structures both within Ireland and between Ireland and Britain.
Idealistic, perhaps. But surely worth considering if the alternative is at best a kind of limbo, particularly for Northern Ireland, and at worst more violence, destruction, affliction and death.
Finally, in a changing world there is always unfinished business. - Yours, etc., Norman J. Gibson,
Newtownabbey, Co Antrim.