Post by Salem6 on Oct 21, 2003 10:17:37 GMT
Fresh assembly elections in Northern Ireland are to be held on 26 November, Downing Street has confirmed.
The announcement was made on Tuesday after weeks of top-level negotiations between Sinn Fein and the Ulster Unionists, as well as the British and Irish Governments.
David Trimble and Gerry Adams have concluded their negotiations
Northern Ireland's devolved administration was suspended a year ago amid allegations of IRA intelligence-gathering in the Stormont government.
Assembly elections were postponed in May over what the government called a lack of clarity about the IRA's future intentions.
A deal now reached is believed to include a third act of decommissioning by the IRA.
The confirmation of the assembly election date is the first step in a complex sequence of developments set to unfold on Tuesday.
Reacting to the news of an election date, Michael McGimpsey of the UUP said within hours, unionists may know what republican intentions are about the future of the IRA.
"Republicans must convince people that they are committed to peace and to the process and to democracy."
Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair may travel to NI on Tuesday
The SDLP's Alex Attwood said people would have one standard against which to judge Tuesday's events.
"That is, will those who have had problems in the past, have resolved those problems and step up to all the requirements of the Good Friday Agreement, ending paramilitarism, endorsing policing, and working all-Ireland bodies."
Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey welcomed the announcement. "I look forward now to having elections," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Nigel Dodds of the Democratic Unionist Party also welcomed the announcement.
"I think it was, quite frankly, anti-democratic and outrageous that the election should have been postponed twice already," he said.
Later on Tuesday, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams is expected to make a keynote speech dealing with the future of IRA activity.
"David Trimble has played the political macho-man flexing his muscles for all to see only to back-pedal at the crunch moment" Ib Balicanta, Philippines/UK .
Northern Ireland decommissioning head General John de Chastelain is then due to outline details about what is understood to be a major act of IRA disarmament.
After this, an IRA statement is to be released, underlining republican intentions.
Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble will provide his initial response, probably confirming that he intends to bring any deal to his party's ruling council.
There is a growing expectation the British and Irish Prime Ministers, Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern, could arrive in Northern Ireland on Tuesday to give their approval to the deal.
Analysis: A deal for devolution?
A third act of decommissioning is thought to be imminent
Assembly elections are being called amid intense speculation that a deal has been reached to restore devolution to Northern Ireland.
The government has now confirmed that voting will take place on 26 November and the main elements of the deal agreed by the key political players in the province will become clear on Tuesday.
Confirmation of the election date came early this morning, and over a period of a few hours, the outcome of weeks of private negotiations will become clear.
The Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams, will make the first statement.
It is then likely that the head of the decommissioning body, General John de Chastelain, will speak.
Amid speculation that the third and most significant act of IRA decommissioning is now imminent - there were reports earlier on Monday evening that the general had left Belfast.
What he is able to say about the weapons the IRA puts beyond use will be crucial in terms of unionist confidence in this unfolding deal.
The IRA is also expected to speak on Tuesday.
But this is not just a negotiation about what republicans have to deliver.
Sources believe there will also be significant contributions from David Trimble's Ulster Unionist Party and the British and Irish Governments.
These contributions will cover a range of issues including the future of the political institutions, demilitarisation, suspects on-the-run and the crucial matter of the transfer of policing and justice powers to local politicians.
If all goes to plan, a statement from the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, could be issued by lunchtime.
Not until all of the pieces are in place will we be able to judge this deal against what was on offer back in the spring.
And, if all of the speculation is right, we won't have much longer to wait.
Northern Ireland: 1998 - 1999
The key events in Northern Ireland from the signing of the Good Friday Agreement to devolution. Click on the links for other years.
April 1998: The 65-page agreement is drawn up, proposing devolution of some central government power to a Northern Ireland assembly. It is welcomed by the Ulster Unionists, the SDLP and Sinn Fein. DUP leader Ian Paisley denounces it as "treacherous".
21 May 1998: The first all-Ireland poll since the general election of 1918 sees the agreement approved by 71.2% of voters in Northern Ireland and 95% of the Republic of Ireland electorate.
29 June 1998: David Trimble is elected First Minister designate of the assembly with the SDLP's Seamus Mallon Deputy First Minister.
15 August 1998: Dissident republicans using the name "Real IRA" detonate a 500lb bomb in the centre of Omagh on a busy Saturday afternoon. The bomb kills 28 people outright and injures 200 - the worst single atrocity of the Troubles. A 29th victim dies later.
September 1998: Assembly is elected, with Ulster Unionists winning the largest share of the vote and 28 seats. The SDLP takes 24, with Sinn Fein winning 18.
16 February 1999: The assembly votes to accept a report on the devolution of powers from Westminster and a deadline of 10 March is set to establish the executive. This is later postponed to 2 April - Good Friday.
1 April 1999: All-party talks at Hillsborough Castle end with call for establishment of an executive within three weeks. But Sinn Fein says it cannot deliver IRA decommissioning before the executive sits, as the UUP insists.
20 May 1999: UK Prime Minister Tony Blair sets an "absolute deadline" of 30 June for agreement on the formation of an executive, or the assembly will be suspended.
30 June 1999: The deadline passes without agreement. Tony Blair agrees to an extension.
15 July 1999: A meeting of the assembly to nominate ministers for the executive collapses as the UUP refuses to attend over Sinn Fein's stance on decommissioning. Seamus Mallon resigns as deputy first minister.
Talks at Stormont to resolve the dispute also fail.
17 July 1999:London and Dublin ask former US senator George Mitchell, who helped set up the original agreement, to re-enter the peace process.
6 September 1999: George Mitchell's review of the peace process begins.
23 October 1999: The expected cut-off point for Senator Mitchell's review is extended.
17 November 1999: The IRA releases a statement confirming that it will contact the decommissioning body as part of a comprehensive political deal.
18 November 1999: George Mitchell reveals details of the plan to rescue the peace process and allowing the setting up of a power-sharing government. It includes the IRA contacting the decommissioning body as soon as the executive is set up.
27 November 1999: The Ulster Unionist Council backs the Mitchell deal by 480 votes to 349 - paving the way for devolution within days.
29 November 1999: The Northern Assembly meets and Seamus Mallon is reinstated as deputy first minister. D'Hondt mechanism is triggered and 10 ministers are nominated to the Northern Ireland Executive.
30 November 1999: The laws to enable devolution to take place are rushed through both houses of parliament.
1 December 1999: Power is passed from Westminster to Belfast at midnight.
2 December 1999: The Irish government removes its territorial claim to Northern Ireland from its constitution and the Anglo-Irish agreement is revoked. The new Northern Ireland Executive meets for the first time.
The IRA announces that it has appointed a representative to the international body on decommissioning.
The announcement was made on Tuesday after weeks of top-level negotiations between Sinn Fein and the Ulster Unionists, as well as the British and Irish Governments.
David Trimble and Gerry Adams have concluded their negotiations
Northern Ireland's devolved administration was suspended a year ago amid allegations of IRA intelligence-gathering in the Stormont government.
Assembly elections were postponed in May over what the government called a lack of clarity about the IRA's future intentions.
A deal now reached is believed to include a third act of decommissioning by the IRA.
The confirmation of the assembly election date is the first step in a complex sequence of developments set to unfold on Tuesday.
Reacting to the news of an election date, Michael McGimpsey of the UUP said within hours, unionists may know what republican intentions are about the future of the IRA.
"Republicans must convince people that they are committed to peace and to the process and to democracy."
Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair may travel to NI on Tuesday
The SDLP's Alex Attwood said people would have one standard against which to judge Tuesday's events.
"That is, will those who have had problems in the past, have resolved those problems and step up to all the requirements of the Good Friday Agreement, ending paramilitarism, endorsing policing, and working all-Ireland bodies."
Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey welcomed the announcement. "I look forward now to having elections," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Nigel Dodds of the Democratic Unionist Party also welcomed the announcement.
"I think it was, quite frankly, anti-democratic and outrageous that the election should have been postponed twice already," he said.
Later on Tuesday, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams is expected to make a keynote speech dealing with the future of IRA activity.
"David Trimble has played the political macho-man flexing his muscles for all to see only to back-pedal at the crunch moment" Ib Balicanta, Philippines/UK .
Northern Ireland decommissioning head General John de Chastelain is then due to outline details about what is understood to be a major act of IRA disarmament.
After this, an IRA statement is to be released, underlining republican intentions.
Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble will provide his initial response, probably confirming that he intends to bring any deal to his party's ruling council.
There is a growing expectation the British and Irish Prime Ministers, Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern, could arrive in Northern Ireland on Tuesday to give their approval to the deal.
Analysis: A deal for devolution?
A third act of decommissioning is thought to be imminent
Assembly elections are being called amid intense speculation that a deal has been reached to restore devolution to Northern Ireland.
The government has now confirmed that voting will take place on 26 November and the main elements of the deal agreed by the key political players in the province will become clear on Tuesday.
Confirmation of the election date came early this morning, and over a period of a few hours, the outcome of weeks of private negotiations will become clear.
The Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams, will make the first statement.
It is then likely that the head of the decommissioning body, General John de Chastelain, will speak.
Amid speculation that the third and most significant act of IRA decommissioning is now imminent - there were reports earlier on Monday evening that the general had left Belfast.
What he is able to say about the weapons the IRA puts beyond use will be crucial in terms of unionist confidence in this unfolding deal.
The IRA is also expected to speak on Tuesday.
But this is not just a negotiation about what republicans have to deliver.
Sources believe there will also be significant contributions from David Trimble's Ulster Unionist Party and the British and Irish Governments.
These contributions will cover a range of issues including the future of the political institutions, demilitarisation, suspects on-the-run and the crucial matter of the transfer of policing and justice powers to local politicians.
If all goes to plan, a statement from the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, could be issued by lunchtime.
Not until all of the pieces are in place will we be able to judge this deal against what was on offer back in the spring.
And, if all of the speculation is right, we won't have much longer to wait.
Northern Ireland: 1998 - 1999
The key events in Northern Ireland from the signing of the Good Friday Agreement to devolution. Click on the links for other years.
April 1998: The 65-page agreement is drawn up, proposing devolution of some central government power to a Northern Ireland assembly. It is welcomed by the Ulster Unionists, the SDLP and Sinn Fein. DUP leader Ian Paisley denounces it as "treacherous".
21 May 1998: The first all-Ireland poll since the general election of 1918 sees the agreement approved by 71.2% of voters in Northern Ireland and 95% of the Republic of Ireland electorate.
29 June 1998: David Trimble is elected First Minister designate of the assembly with the SDLP's Seamus Mallon Deputy First Minister.
15 August 1998: Dissident republicans using the name "Real IRA" detonate a 500lb bomb in the centre of Omagh on a busy Saturday afternoon. The bomb kills 28 people outright and injures 200 - the worst single atrocity of the Troubles. A 29th victim dies later.
September 1998: Assembly is elected, with Ulster Unionists winning the largest share of the vote and 28 seats. The SDLP takes 24, with Sinn Fein winning 18.
16 February 1999: The assembly votes to accept a report on the devolution of powers from Westminster and a deadline of 10 March is set to establish the executive. This is later postponed to 2 April - Good Friday.
1 April 1999: All-party talks at Hillsborough Castle end with call for establishment of an executive within three weeks. But Sinn Fein says it cannot deliver IRA decommissioning before the executive sits, as the UUP insists.
20 May 1999: UK Prime Minister Tony Blair sets an "absolute deadline" of 30 June for agreement on the formation of an executive, or the assembly will be suspended.
30 June 1999: The deadline passes without agreement. Tony Blair agrees to an extension.
15 July 1999: A meeting of the assembly to nominate ministers for the executive collapses as the UUP refuses to attend over Sinn Fein's stance on decommissioning. Seamus Mallon resigns as deputy first minister.
Talks at Stormont to resolve the dispute also fail.
17 July 1999:London and Dublin ask former US senator George Mitchell, who helped set up the original agreement, to re-enter the peace process.
6 September 1999: George Mitchell's review of the peace process begins.
23 October 1999: The expected cut-off point for Senator Mitchell's review is extended.
17 November 1999: The IRA releases a statement confirming that it will contact the decommissioning body as part of a comprehensive political deal.
18 November 1999: George Mitchell reveals details of the plan to rescue the peace process and allowing the setting up of a power-sharing government. It includes the IRA contacting the decommissioning body as soon as the executive is set up.
27 November 1999: The Ulster Unionist Council backs the Mitchell deal by 480 votes to 349 - paving the way for devolution within days.
29 November 1999: The Northern Assembly meets and Seamus Mallon is reinstated as deputy first minister. D'Hondt mechanism is triggered and 10 ministers are nominated to the Northern Ireland Executive.
30 November 1999: The laws to enable devolution to take place are rushed through both houses of parliament.
1 December 1999: Power is passed from Westminster to Belfast at midnight.
2 December 1999: The Irish government removes its territorial claim to Northern Ireland from its constitution and the Anglo-Irish agreement is revoked. The new Northern Ireland Executive meets for the first time.
The IRA announces that it has appointed a representative to the international body on decommissioning.