Post by dangeresque on Jul 10, 2008 23:48:36 GMT
IRISH TIMES Monday, July 7, 2008
McGuinness welcomes Baghdad peace agreementGERRY MORIARTY DEPUTY FIRST Minister
Martin McGuinness has welcomed the weekend signing in Baghdad by all the main Iraqi
political parties of a set of peace principles that are in many respects modelled on
the 1998 Belfast Agreement.Mr McGuinness, former Assembly speaker Lord Alderdice and
Belfast-based political consultant Quintin Oliver were in Baghdad on Saturday as
observers, as local politicians signed up to the Helsinki Principles which are based
on the Senator George Mitchell Principles on democracy and non-violence.The
agreement was formally endorsed on Saturday by the Iraqi government and Iraqi
parliamentarians, as well as by groups linked to the militias and insurgents.The
principles include the prohibition on the use of arms for “all armed groups” during
peace negotiations. Another key recommendation is the establishment of a body to
“supervise the process of disarmament of non-governmental armed groups in a
verifiable manner”, similar to Gen John de Chastelain’s decommissioning body.The
initiative, running since last year, involved Northern Ireland and South African
politicians in dialogue with senior Iraqi politicians from the Sunni, Shia and
Kurdish groups, as well as with other tribal leaders and representatives of the
radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. The talks were held in Helsinki last September
and in April this year.Mr McGuinness, Lord Alderdice and Mr Oliver all emphasised
that the Helsinki Principles were not a resolution but a framework by which progress
could be made in Iraq. Mr McGuinness said he and his colleagues were willing to
assist if Iraqi politicians felt their future intervention could be useful. Ireland
could be a venue for such talks, he added.Mr McGuinness said the signing gained
widespread media coverage in Iraq and that over the course of Saturday they met with
several senior Iraqi politicians, including president Jalal Talabani. “What is
critically important now is that the people of Iraq and their politicians recognise
the importance of learning from other conflict situations, and agree among
themselves that the best way forward is through dialogue and through a process of
meaningful and inclusive negotiations.”Mr McGuinness said he delivered a clear
message to the Iraqi politicians. “I said that our own conflict, depending on your
view of history, has lasted 30 years, or goes back to partition, or goes back 800
years. My message was that they should endeavour to engage in inclusive talks sooner
rather than later, and in doing so save the lives of tens of thousands of their own
people.”Mr McGuinness added that the involvement of DUP junior minister Jeffrey
Donaldson in the project left an impression on the Iraqis that if Sinn Féin and DUP
politicians could work together, then perhaps they should also work co-operatively
for the good of their people. (Mr Donaldson was unable to travel to Baghdad for the
occasion as he had political business in the United States.) Lord Alderdice said his
impression was that the Iraqis took hope from the Northern Ireland experience.He
said the Helsinki Principles were an expanded series of principles based on the
Mitchell Principles, tied up in a substantial document. “It’s Mitchell plus, if you
like. The Mitchell Principles will apply, but the practical details will be
different.” Mr Oliver, a key organisational figure in gaining a Yes vote for the
1998 Belfast Agreement, said the issue was now over to the Iraqis. “We are not
telling them what to do, we are not imposing a template, we are just saying, ‘We
know a bit about conflict; if we can help, please learn’.”
McGuinness welcomes Baghdad peace agreementGERRY MORIARTY DEPUTY FIRST Minister
Martin McGuinness has welcomed the weekend signing in Baghdad by all the main Iraqi
political parties of a set of peace principles that are in many respects modelled on
the 1998 Belfast Agreement.Mr McGuinness, former Assembly speaker Lord Alderdice and
Belfast-based political consultant Quintin Oliver were in Baghdad on Saturday as
observers, as local politicians signed up to the Helsinki Principles which are based
on the Senator George Mitchell Principles on democracy and non-violence.The
agreement was formally endorsed on Saturday by the Iraqi government and Iraqi
parliamentarians, as well as by groups linked to the militias and insurgents.The
principles include the prohibition on the use of arms for “all armed groups” during
peace negotiations. Another key recommendation is the establishment of a body to
“supervise the process of disarmament of non-governmental armed groups in a
verifiable manner”, similar to Gen John de Chastelain’s decommissioning body.The
initiative, running since last year, involved Northern Ireland and South African
politicians in dialogue with senior Iraqi politicians from the Sunni, Shia and
Kurdish groups, as well as with other tribal leaders and representatives of the
radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. The talks were held in Helsinki last September
and in April this year.Mr McGuinness, Lord Alderdice and Mr Oliver all emphasised
that the Helsinki Principles were not a resolution but a framework by which progress
could be made in Iraq. Mr McGuinness said he and his colleagues were willing to
assist if Iraqi politicians felt their future intervention could be useful. Ireland
could be a venue for such talks, he added.Mr McGuinness said the signing gained
widespread media coverage in Iraq and that over the course of Saturday they met with
several senior Iraqi politicians, including president Jalal Talabani. “What is
critically important now is that the people of Iraq and their politicians recognise
the importance of learning from other conflict situations, and agree among
themselves that the best way forward is through dialogue and through a process of
meaningful and inclusive negotiations.”Mr McGuinness said he delivered a clear
message to the Iraqi politicians. “I said that our own conflict, depending on your
view of history, has lasted 30 years, or goes back to partition, or goes back 800
years. My message was that they should endeavour to engage in inclusive talks sooner
rather than later, and in doing so save the lives of tens of thousands of their own
people.”Mr McGuinness added that the involvement of DUP junior minister Jeffrey
Donaldson in the project left an impression on the Iraqis that if Sinn Féin and DUP
politicians could work together, then perhaps they should also work co-operatively
for the good of their people. (Mr Donaldson was unable to travel to Baghdad for the
occasion as he had political business in the United States.) Lord Alderdice said his
impression was that the Iraqis took hope from the Northern Ireland experience.He
said the Helsinki Principles were an expanded series of principles based on the
Mitchell Principles, tied up in a substantial document. “It’s Mitchell plus, if you
like. The Mitchell Principles will apply, but the practical details will be
different.” Mr Oliver, a key organisational figure in gaining a Yes vote for the
1998 Belfast Agreement, said the issue was now over to the Iraqis. “We are not
telling them what to do, we are not imposing a template, we are just saying, ‘We
know a bit about conflict; if we can help, please learn’.”