From: dwilkins@maths.tcd.ie (David Wilkins)
Subject: Re: Economist Article On Irish Election
Organization: Dept. of Maths, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 23:41:28 GMT

In article <lisehgINN43n@news.bbn.com> mbrennan@spca.bbn.com (Maeve Brennan) writes:
>I don't know to what extent Fianna Fail is 'uncompromisingly 
>nationalist'.

I don't think anybody these days (other than possibly ill-informed
reporters) could describe Fianna Fail these days as `uncompromisingly
nationalist'.  You probably need a microscope to distinguish the
differences between FF and the other parties (excluding Sinn Fein,
who have no seats in the Dail) over the North.  It would appear
that FF are just a teeny bit more reluctant to give up Articles
2 and 3 than the other parties.

>Articles 2 and 3 have no practical merit, only symbolic.  I am in favour 
>of removing them from the Irish constitution since they are understandably 
>repugnant to Ulster Unionists.  I think that anything which Ireland can 
>reasonably do to reduce the suspicion and fears of Ulster Unionists that 
>they are being coerced into a united Ireland, is a good thing.  It is 
>only natural for people to resent coercion.
>
>Furthermore, it is consistent with the Anglo-Irish agreement which 
>the Irish government signed:
>
>"Status of Northern Ireland
>
>Article 1
>
>The two Governments
>
>(a) affirm that any change in the status of Northern Ireland would
>    only come about with the consent of a majority of the people of
>    Northern Ireland;
>
>(b) recognise that the present wish of a majority of the people of
>    Northern Ireland if for no change in the status of Northern
>    Ireland;
>
>(c) declare that, if in the future a majority of the people of
>    Northern Ireland clearly wish for and formally consent to the
>    establishment of a united Ireland, they will introduce and
>    support in the respective Parliaments legislation to give effect
>    to that wish."
>

Usual cop-out applies, as in the case of Sunningdale.  The agreement
affirms that a _change_ in the status of NI can only come about
with the consent of the majority, but fails to state unambiguously
what that statement is.  If the Agreement had said that NI was
part of the UK then it would have been struck down as unconstitutional
by the Supreme Court in the Republic.  The current `status' includes
the claim by the Republic.  (If I remember correctly the McGimpsey
brothers, Official Unionist politicians, actually brought a
case to test this in the Republic's Supreme Court.)

>In article <1992Dec15.145918.28845@news.nd.edu> ulick@michaelangelo.helios.nd.edu (Ulick Stafford) writes:
>>(But at least we in Ireland have the sense not to totally piss off our 
>>powerful neighbour, unlike those idiots in the Balkans, who now want
>>the rest of the world to fight their fight.  But I guess Ireland has the
>>wrong agressor.  Some idiot countries will be dying for the joke nation
>>Bosnia-Hercegovina before the end of the year.)
>>
>
>You seem to want war between the two countries, and believe that the
>rest of the world would join in if the adversary wasn't Britain.
>
>While it is inevitable that we will have disputes, especially given
>our history, it makes more sense to strive for friendly relations, 
>especially as partners in the EEC.  

Relations between the governments are now very friendly, if one
believes what one hears and reads in the media.

>
>Having read the Anglo-Irish agreement, it seems to me that both
>governments wish to diminish the divisions between the communities, 
>towards achieving lasting peace and stability.
>

The Unionists (both OUP and DUP), Alliance and SDLP
(constitutional nationalists) seem in places to be working
together in some places, such as Derry and Fermanagh, with
rotating Mayors and chairmen.

Although the last round of talks between the governments and
the Northern parties did not come to a final conclusion, the
politicians did seem to get on well with one another, and the
Official Unionists even talked with the Irish government in Dublin
itself (which would have been unthinkable not too long ago).
Paisley managed to find an excuse to chicken out of the
Dublin visit, but then he would, wouldn't he.

DRW
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