The adjournment of the Northern Ireland talks process at Stormont yesterday was an expected almost a welcomed development. Little, or no, progress has been made in recent months, as the various political parties argued over the complex issue of arms decommissioning access by Sinn Fein, and its timing, to the talks process and the likely nature of a future three-stranded relationship within these islands. Over it all hung the dependence of Mr John Major's Government on the votes of the unionist parties at Westminster until the long-awaited British general election. The process had run into the sand.
In spite of all that, the talks served a useful function in providing a forum in which politicians committed to the democratic process were able to explore the complicated political landscape and to assess the potential for future progress. It went some way towards addressing the political deficit which has existed in Northern Ireland for far too long. But with the two communities deeply divided on core political. objectives, and a general election in the offing, there was never any real prospect of an early breakthrough. The risks were regarded as too great by the key political parties involved.
In that context, and following nine months of inconclusive discussions, publication by the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), of a document, "Pathways to Peace within the Union", received a lukewarm response from the Government. It favoured a more structured relationship between the British Government and Northern politicians; a single umbrella group for the North's 26 local authorities; the implementation of justice and rights commitments and co-operation with Dublin "as was the case in the days of the Stormont Government." The document was seen as masking a continuing hard-line stance by the UUP on decommissioning, as it appeared to reject the involvement of Sinn Fein in talks, even following an unequivocal and credible ceasefire.
By setting June 3rd as a firm date for the resumption of the talks process, the Governments have sent two important messages to the communities within Northern Ireland. The first is that no matter what the outcome of the general elections in Britain or Ireland, the determination in Dublin and London to seek an agreed political solution to the Northern Ireland situation will endure. The second message is of particular relevance to the republican movement because it emphasises that the talks process is still "the only game in town". There is no question of the two Governments embarking on a new political initiative. And the obligation remains on the IRA to declare an end to paramilitary activity in order to facilitate the entry of Sinn Fein into the talks.
The Tanaiste, Mr Spring, and the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Sir Patrick Mayhew, paid tributes to the vital contributions of Senator George Mitchell, General John de Chastelain and Prime Minister Harri Holkeri to the peace process, yesterday. Mr Spring was particularly pleased by the on-going commitment in the chairmen's statement which looked forward "to resuming the negotiations in June with renewed vigour and commitment and to working with the participants in completing the address to the International Body's proposals on decommissioning." Such a breakthrough would allow negotiations to move forward to consider the substantive issues involving a new beginning within the three strands of relationships on these islands. So far, progress has been disappointingly slow. But nobody expected miracles in such a divided society. The important thing is that the two Governments have moved to protect the advances that have been made, while making a commitment to build upon them in June.