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Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Not only peace, but actual progress may be breaking out in Northern Ireland.

Monday's surprise agreement between the two major Catholic and Protestant parties to create a new local government in Northern Ireland after a four-year hiatus was called an "unprecedented breakthrough."

That's exactly what it is. The parties' leaders, Rev. Ian Paisley of the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams, had always negotiated using intermediaries. This time, however, they sat at the same table to announce a May 8 target for a power-sharing administration.

Although that missed a Monday deadline set by the British, officials in London praised the deal and said they would move to pass emergency legislation allowing the current legislative assembly to continue until a 12-member administration could be selected.

A major step forward had taken place in 2005, when the outlawed Irish Republican Army disarmed and renounced violence.

But this agreement was unexpected because Paisley's Protestant majority and Adams' Catholic minority want different outcomes for the region, which is part of Great Britain. Paisley wants to maintain that status, while Adams favors union with Eire, the independent Republic of Ireland.

However, the London government held out a promise and a threat, pledging almost $2 billion in subsidies if a pact could be worked out, and a big hike in water taxes if it couldn't.

Ultimately, though, consolidation of government functions with the European Union may make the region's affiliation moot.

If Great Britain becomes a full-fledged member (Eire already is), local conditions will take a back seat to EU standards. That may be the best guarantee of peace there can be.