|
Af Paul-Frederik Bach Hjemmeside English section Georges Mitchell's fredsplan |
|
Erklæringer i anledning af Georges Mitchell's fredsplan i november 1999 The Ulster Unionist Party:
The Ulster Unionist Party remains totally committed to the
full implementation of the Belfast Agreement in all its
aspects.
It is our belief that the establishment of the new
political institutions and the disarmament of all
paramilitary organisations will herald a new beginning for
all sections of our people - a new, peaceful, and
democratic
society, free from the use or threat of force.
The UUP recognises and accepts that it is legitimate for
nationalists to pursue their political objective of a
united
Ireland by consent through exclusively peaceful and
democratic methods.
The UUP is committed to the principles of inclusivity,
equality, and mutual respect on which the institutions are
to be based. It is our intention that these principles will
extend in practice to all areas of public life, and be
endorsed by society as a whole.
The UUP sees a new opportunity for all our traditions in
Northern Ireland to enter a new era of respect and
tolerance
of cultural differences and expression.
For too long, much of the unrest in our community has been
caused by a failure to accept the differing expressions of
cultural identity.
Disagreements over language issues, parades and other
events must be resolved if the stability and tolerance we
all want to see are to be realised.
These issues, in future, will be the means to promote
mutual respect and tolerance rather than division and
alienation. The UUP is committed to securing equality and
mutual respect for all elements of our diverse culture.
The Agreement will help bring this about by providing a
framework for a new political dispensation which recognises
the full and equal legitimacy of our different identities
and aspirations.
We now have a chance to create a genuine partnership
between unionists and nationalists in a novel form of
government. It offers us the opportunity to put past
failures behind us.
This new government has the task of rebuilding our damaged
economy and the social fabric of our community. It must
also
strive to eliminate the causes of disadvantage and promote
greater prosperity for all.
Only when violence has no part to play and where only
democratic politics will be used to further community goals
will we have a fully matured as a society. We look forward
with confidence to meeting this challenge.
Both of our traditions have suffered as a result of our
conflict and division. This is a matter of deep regret and
makes it all the more important that we now put the past
behind us. The establishment of inclusive political
institutions and the commencement of the process of
decommissioning are the first steps in this process.
If, in our view, a genuine and meaningful response is
forthcoming to Monday's statement from the Independent
International Commission on Decommissioning, the way will
then be clear for the establishment of the political
institutions envisaged in the Belfast Agreement.
Unionist, loyalist, nationalist, and republican must take
these steps together to secure a new era of co-operation,
reconciliation and mutual respect.
Sinn Féin:
Sinn Fein is totally committed to the implementation of
the
Good Friday Agreement in all its aspects. We believe that
the wholehearted implementation of the Agreement has the
capacity to transform the existing situation through
constructive and dynamic political development.
It is an unprecedented opportunity to start afresh. An
opportunity to put behind us the failures, the tragedy and
the suffering of the past.
There is no doubt that we are entering into the final
stages of the resolution of the conflict.
The IRA cessation which has now been in place for a total
of almost four years represents an important and positive
contribution by the IRA to the resolution of the conflict.
IRA guns are silent and the Sinn Fein leadership is
confident that the IRA remains committed to the objective
of
a permanent peace.
By providing an effective political alternative we can
remove the potential for conflict. That conflict must be
for
all of us now a thing of the past, over, done with and gone.
There has been a particular focus on arms. This issue is
addressed directly in the Good Friday Agreement. Sinn Fein
accepts that decommissioning is an essential part of the
peace process. We believe that the issue of arms will be
finally and satisfactorily settled under the aegis of the
de
Chastelain Commission as set out in the Agreement. All
parties to the Agreement have an obligation to help bring
decommissioning about. Sinn Fein is committed to
discharging
our responsibilities in this regard.
Decommissioning can only come about on a voluntary basis.
The Good Friday Agreement makes clear that the context
required for its resolution is the implementation of the
overall settlement, including the operation of its
institutions and using the mechanism of the de Chastelain
Commission. This is a collective responsibility.
Sinn Fein has total and absolute commitment to pursue our
objectives by exclusively peaceful and democratic means in
accordance with the Good Friday Agreement. For this reason
we are totally opposed to any use of force or threat of
force by others for any political purpose.
We are totally opposed to punishment attacks.
In the Executive the two Sinn Fein Ministers will make and
honour the pledge of office which includes a commitment to
non-violence and exclusively peaceful and democratic means.
Under the terms of the Agreement any member of the
Executive
can be removed from office for failure to meet his or her
responsibilities, including those set out in the Pledge of
Office.
All sections of our people have suffered profoundly in
this
conflict. That suffering is a matter of deep regret but
makes the difficult process of removing conflict all the
more imperative. Sinn Fein wishes to work with, not
against,
the unionists and recognises this as yet another
imperative.
For Sinn Fein co-operation and accommodation is the
objective of this process.
We reiterate our total commitment to doing everything in
our power to maintain the peace process and to removing the
gun forever from the politics of our country.
The Progressive Unionist Party:
The Review of the Good Friday Agreement was based on three
fundamental principles agreed on 25th June 1999. The three
principles are as follows:
On July 1st 1999, the Progressive Unionist Party stated the
following responses:
The Progressive Unionist Party welcome the interim report
by
Senator George Mitchell, outlining progress made in the
Review of the Good Friday Agreement. We find heartening, Mr
Mitchell's assertion that the parties "...now understand
each others concerns and requirements far better than
before, and are committed to resolving the current impasse".
It has always been our Party's view that devolution should
occur and the institutions envisaged within the GFA should
be implemented regardless of the decommissioning issue.
We believe that the process of decommissioning should be
the
sole remit of the Independent Commission on
Decommissioning,
and as such should be completely removed from the political
equation. The removal of illegal war materials is an
integral part of the conflict transformation process,
currently taking place in Northern Ireland.
We welcome the proposals outlined by the International
Commission and believe that "... appointing authorised
representatives" would be a positive step in this direction.
The Progressive Unionist Party wholeheartedly believe that
the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, as
negotiated on the 10th April 1998, and supported by
referendum on 22nd May 1998, is our best option for
achieving a non-sectarian, pluralist and equitable society
for Northern Ireland.
IRA:
The IRA is committed unequivocally to the search for
freedom, justice and peace in Ireland.
In our view, the Good Friday Agreement is a significant
development and we believe its full implementation will
contribute to the achievement of lasting peace.
We acknowledge the leadership given by Sinn Fein throughout
this process.
The IRA is willing to further enhance the peace process and
consequently, following the establishment of the
institutions agreed on Good Friday last year, the IRA
leadership will appoint a representative to enter into
discussions with General John de Chastelain and the
Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.
(signed)
|
Hjemmeside English section
|