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Pallone Encouraged by Scheduling of Northern Ireland Negotiations at Leeds Castle this Week

September 15, 2004

"Mr. Speaker, as you know, six years ago this past April, the people of Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland entered into a peace agreement, commonly referred to as the Good Friday Agreement. This legendary accord set out a framework that would allow Northern Ireland to govern itself and provide for a rule of law that was responsible to all people in the North of Ireland. Unfortunately, six years later, much of the agreement has been stalled, derailed, or never implemented.

"Mr. Speaker, it's been almost two years now since Prime Minister Tony Blair suspended the power sharing government of Northern Ireland, and almost ten months since elections were held in Northern Ireland to the Belfast Assembly. However, the peace agreement remains stalled and no elected Assembly members have been permitted to take their seats.

"It's essential that the Good Friday Accords be fully implemented for a true and lasting peace to be achieved in Northern Ireland. The Assembly must be reinstated immediately in order to allow the process to continue.

"Later this week, we see our best opportunity for the re-implementation of these accords. All of the parties to the agreement, including Sinn Fein, the Democratic Union Party (DUP), and Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern, will meet this week at Leeds Castle to try and work out a solution to reinstate the Belfast Assembly and get the Good Friday Agreement back on track.

"Recently, Prime Minister Blair was quoted in press reports stating that this may be the last chance to save the Good Friday Accords. Rumors are also circulating that if an agreement is not made at Leeds, Prime Minister Blair will return Northern Ireland to the direct rule of the British Government. This is unacceptable.

"While I agree that a solution must be found to reinstate the Accords, I think Prime Minister Blair's words may be too harsh. We cannot allow these monumental accords to be discarded. Too much hard work and negotiation has gone into the process and we are too close to a final peace agreement to just throw it all away.

"However, the negotiations at Leeds give me great hope. Having all parties at the same table in a formal setting with only peace as a priority is the most positive development since the elections were announced more than a year ago.

"Now, it is up to Prime Ministers Blair and Ahern to force the hand Rev. Ian Paisley and the DUP ensuring that any deal brokered is in good faith. Paisley and the DUP have been holding the peace agreement in Northern Ireland hostage for too long. All other parties are ready to negotiate a deal to reinstate the Assembly and the Good Friday Accords. Blair and Ahearn cannot allow this radical party to continue to halt the peace process.

"Mr. Speaker, the negotiations that will be held at Leeds Castle this week give both me and the people of Northern Ireland hope that the Good Friday Accords can finally be implemented. I hope that both British Prime Minister Blair and Irish Prime Minister Ahern will continue to work with all parties to the agreement ensuring that there is a lasting peace in Northern Ireland.

"The Good Friday Accords are the vehicle to peace and no matter the circumstance the leaders in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland should not walk away from the process. We are too close to peace to let it all fall apart."