Deadlock in Northern Ireland Peace Talks

The British prime minister and the Irish taoiseach met in Belfast on April 12 along with leaders of Northern Ireland's political parties to finalize the Good Friday Peace Accord, reached last year. Despite their efforts, the parties remain deadlocked over Irish Republican Army (IRA) participation and disarmament. British Prime Minister Tony Blair has set a deadline of April 13 for agreement on these issues, warning of a resurgence of violence between Protestants and Catholics if the deadline is not met.

Key Takeaways:

• The dispute revolves around the IRA's participation in the new local government and its disarmament, with Unionist leaders demanding a clear signal from Sinn Fein that it expects the IRA to disarm.
• The Good Friday agreement requires paramilitary groups, including the IRA, to disarm or decommission their weapons by May 2000, but Sinn Fein leaders argue that this does not require them to make a statement or commitment now.
• The deadline set by Tony Blair is arbitrary and has been criticized by Unionists, who consider it fictional.
• The meeting comes as the Protestant unionism marching season begins, which has a history of sectarian violence, and amidst a car bomb smuggling attempt by IRA members.
• The IRA has agreed to share information about the burial sites of its victims, with the first two bodies being discovered and returned to their families.

Statistics:

• 14 months: the time since the Good Friday peace agreement was signed
• 27 years: the duration without a relatively independent government in Northern Ireland
• May 2000: the deadline for paramilitary groups to disarm or decommission their weapons
• 2: the number of bodies discovered and returned to their families as a result of the IRA's agreement to share information about burial sites

Sources:

• NPR
• All Things Considered
• BBC News