Yet again Mr Trimble, as he has done on important occasions in the
past, produced a narrowly-focused and disappointing speech. The
speech lacked any appreciation of the opportunities that now exist to
move us all out of conflict. He had little to say about ending the
impasse and even less about the future. In fact he was dismissive of
Sinn Féin's efforts and abusive of republicans.
Martin McGuinness on David Trimble's acceptance speech in Oslo for
the Nobel prize.
The decision strengthens the growing international consensus, both
legal and political, that the worst atrocities cannot go unpunished.
Reed Body of Human Rights Watch on the decision to extradite Chilean
dictator Pinochet back to Chile.
The Fruit of the Loom saga is not exactly unusual. We have seen down
the years what other multinationals do to their Irish operations when
the going gets tough. They get going to other countries where they
can pay peanuts. Foreign companies have provided, and continue to
provide, thousands of jobs all over this country. But the problem is
that they have no long term commitment here, and if there's a hiccup
in the world markets, they have no compunction about closing down
their Irish plants.
Pat Brosnan writing about Fruit of the Loom and multinationals
operating in Ireland. The Examiner, Friday 11 December.
Surely the Orange Order must be able to see that while they insist on
making their stand, the town of Portadown is grinding to a halt
around them.
Alliance General Secretary Richard Good urging Orangemen to cancel
their protest in Portadown/Drumcree.
It is increasingly my own view that the UUP are engaged in an attempt
to frustrate the patience of the republican constituency and by
undermining the credibility of politics, push the IRA back to war.
Sinn Féin Assembly member Gerry Kelly.
Downing Street hasn't confirmed anything with us about proximity
talks on Wednesday. We have already arranged a meeting with David
Andrews on Wednesday. I think you seriously have to question why the
British government would be telling the media that the talks are
taking place on Wednesday before telling us.
Garvaghy Road Councillor Breandán Mac Cionnaith on the proximity
talks aimed at ending the Orange siege at Drumcree. Residents were
not consulted by the British government but at a meeting on Tuesday
night they decided their representatives would attend.
Here we are eight months after the Good Friday Agreement and it is
not being implemented... And the longer it has gone on the more
undermining there has been... The most important part of
decommissioning has already taken place - that's that the guns are
silent and nobody is using them.
Former 26-County Taoiseach Albert Reynolds on failure to implement
the Good Friday Agreement in full. Irish News Tuesday 15 December.
Things are not going well... the sooner they [Ulster Unionists]
realise this process is falling apart around us the better.
Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness last Monday.
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