Unionist veto causing crisis
David Trimble has a choice to make. ``He is either for the
agreement signed on Good Friday or he is against it''. This was
the message from Sinn Féin's chief negotiator Martin McGuinness
to the Unionist leader this week in a keynote article on the
crisis in the peace process created by Trimble's declared
intention to the block the formation of the Assembly Executive
and cross-border bodies.
McGuinness says that a unionist veto on progress has been
resurrected and that: ``The Ulster Unionist Party seems to have
difficulty in working with a process which is not strictly under
their control.''
McGuinness rubbishes Unionists arguments on decomissioning as
merely the ``current excuse'' for the problems they have with a
process that involves equality and inclusivity.
McGuinness also warns that: ``We have expended more time, energy
and personnel'' on the peace process than any other party and that
this has ``stretched the Irish republican constituency to the
limit''.
It is clear from what McGuinness has to say this week that David
Trimble's antics are causing a major crisis in the peace process.
But Trimble cannot be allowed to frustrate the wishes and the
decisions of the vast majority of people in Ireland. He cannot
unilaterally re-write the Agreement or veto its implemetation.
The Irish and British governments have primary responsibility for
ensuring that the provisions of the Agreement are implemented
within the timescales agreed.
As Martin McGuiness says today: ``The test for the two
governments and for the Agreement itself is whether the
provisions on democratic entitlement will be defended and acted
upon.''
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