The economic crisis and the related reduction of the initiatives in favor of deténte and development projects have almost stopped the peace process in Northern Ireland: yesterday, Thursday, the European Parliament has shown finally to have acknowledged that worrying fact, and approved a resolution.
The European Parliament, not surprisingly, emphasized the priority of reducing unemployment in Ulster, as well as a reminder of the seriousness of the interruption of the talks in December last year, due to a set of claims ranging from practical issues such as social spending to those symbolic.
The assembly also expressed appreciation for the appointment of a US Senator Gary Hart (by the Secretary of State, John Kerry) as an envoy to the talks on the peace process.
In the resolution adopted November 13th the assembly called on all parties to restart the peace process in Northern Ireland, to attend the talks opened on 16 October and deal with thorny issues within the framework of the young institutions in Northern Ireland, dating back – in their current form – to the Good Friday Agreement, signed on April 10, 1998.
The agreement led to the acceptance of disarmament by the Irish Republican Army in July 2005, although the Protestants’ resentment persuaded significant sectors of the pro-British community to strengthen Democratic Unionist Party, that refused to join the shared executive until May 2007.
The European Parliament calls for the full implementation of the agreements, with the launch of a articulated system of cooperation between the autonomous government of Northern Ireland with the United Kingdom to which it belongs and with the Republic of Ireland.
MEPs expressed the hope that the “EU Peace” program will be used for the benefit of all segments of society in Northern Ireland, the plan ensures one hundred and fifty million euros to address pressing social issues in the province and in bordering areas of the Republic.
