Joint statement by Gerry Adams and John Hume
| |
The unprecedented opportunity created by the IRA cessation of
August 1994 was wasted. Our principal concern is that this
dreadful mistake is not repeated
|
In our first joint statement in April 1993 we acknowledged that the most
pressing issue facing the people of Ireland and Britain today is the
question of a lasting peace and how it can be achieved and committed
ourselves to addressing this issue. This has been our primary focus.
It is our view that inclusive negotiations are the only way of reaching
agreement and achieving a just and lasting peace for all the people of this
island. We regret that, despite our collective efforts, inclusive and
meaningful negotiations were not put in place and that the unprecedented
opportunity created by the IRA cessation of August 1994 was wasted. Our
principle concern is that this dreadful mistake is not repeated.
At our meeting last night we reviewed progress in removing the obstacles,
erected by the previous British government, to an inclusive and meaningful
negotiations process. These obstacles have been used tactically to
prevent progress in the talks process at Stormont. We welcome the moves
that have been made to remove these obstacles by the new Irish and British
governments.
A just and lasting settlement will only be achieved if it is based on
principles of democracy and equality and has the allegience of both
traditions.
Such a solution requires change, political and constitutional. It is for
the Irish and British governments, in consultation with all the parties, to
co-operate to bring this about in the shortest time possible and to
legislate accordingly.
Our primary objective remains the achievement of a just an lasting peace
for all the people of this island. We are committed to our continuing
dialogue and to co-operation between our parties and others to bring this
about. We reiterate that this process offers no threat to any section of
the people of this island. Our objective is agreement and reconciliation.
It is our view that the peace process can be restored and that with
political will on all sides that we can move towards a new political
agreement. There is a heavy onus on both governments, and particularly the
British government, to respond positively and imaginatively, both in terms
of the demilitarisation of the situation and particularly in dealing with
the issue of prisoners, in urgently addressing the equality agenda and in
assisting the search for agreement among the people of this island.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)