Northern Ireland talks: leaders must seize peace opportunity, says Taoiseach

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/oct/16/northern-ireland-talks-peace

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Political talks aimed at solving the toxic issues of parades, flags and the past hanging over from the Northern Ireland peace process begin on Thursday in Belfast.

Before the discussions David Cameron said he hoped progress could be achieved by the end of November.

The negotiations will focus on how to deal with controversial Orange Order marches, including one banned along a route in North Belfast, the flying of the union flag in the city council and the legacy of the Troubles.

In the runup to the talks, the prime minister said he and his Irish counterpart, Enda Kenny, would be expecting a report by end of next month on where the discussions were going.

“While the government can help, ultimately it is for Northern Ireland political leaders to take these issues forward,” Cameron said. “I trust, therefore, that all parties will approach these talks constructively and with a genuine willingness to succeed.”

The Taoiseach added: “Now is the time for the party leaders to seize the opportunity of these talks to find a way forward and secure the prize of a peaceful, prosperous and shared Northern Ireland.” The Irish government will be represented at the talks by the foreign minister, Charlie Flanagan.

But the largest party in the region, the Democratic Unionists, have issued a warning that they will not attend the first round-table session of the talks. The DUP leader and first minister, Peter Robinson, described the opening ceremony as a “circus”.

Critics have claimed the DUP move is cynical symbolism designed to protect its electoral flank from the more hardline Traditional Unionist Voice before the general election next year.

Robinson’s party colleague Peter Weir said the DUP would also be boycotting those sessions of the negotiations at Stormont with the Irish government that related to the internal affairs of Northern Ireland.

The atmosphere at Stormont is already sour after Sinn Féin accused the DUP of reneging on a deal between both parties about the election of a new speaker to the regional parliament. In light of the DUP speaker Willie Hay retiring from the post, Sinn Féin insisted it had an arrangement which would see their assembly member Mitchel McLaughlin elected. The DUP and other unionists on Monday refused to support McLaughlin to the post and at present the parliament has no speaker.

The two main parties have also clashed over the power-sharing government’s failure to implement welfare reforms which Sinn Féin vetoed because it is opposed to further welfare cuts.