As is often the case shortly after a public announcement of a historic peace agreement, all eyes are on Northern Ireland. People all over Northern Ireland and the world are waiting for an outcome. The first thing to remember at this critical time is that the agreement won't do anything.
Success is largely up to the people of Northern Ireland.
It's refreshing to see that they have stopped trying, and that may be the key to success this time around. Rather than trying to compromise on a static solution, the parties have crafted a sophisticated way of going forward that acknowledges and accepts existing complexities instead of trying to change what cannot be changed. The April 10 agreement is an experiment in new senses of national identity. It effectively treats identity, citizenship and national allegiance each on their own merits, without sacrificing clarity of administrative jurisdiction. The agreement acknowledges and accommodates the many seeming contradictions that so many Nationalists and Unionists have long considered the cost of living in Northern Ireland.