No European unity without Irish unity
Despite the mist of censorship which enveloped it, last weekend's Sinn Fein Ard Fheis clearly marked out the road to peace. Again and again, the British and the Dublin governments were reminded of the need for talks with republicans. While pretentious Dublin premier Charles Haughey milked his position as EC president for all the publicity it was worth, republicans exposed the real truth.
It was the warmakers who made the headlines as Britain's Douglas Hurd, once again, banged the NATO drum. Germany, whether united or divided, must remain within the military alliance which, for over 40 years, has most endangered world peace.
Little surprise, then, that Hurd and his ilk were unable to hear the loudest message of all. That came from South Africa, where Nelson Mandela's freedom is awaited daily. Mandela has warned his captors that the ANC's armed wing will not lay down its arms until the government agrees to talks with the liberation movement.
In Europe, East and West, and in the rest of the world, those who once denied the rights of nations to self-determination are being driven to the negotiating table if they haven't already been driven from power.
Phoblacht, Thursday 8 February 1990
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)