July 15, 1999

Mr. President, today the people of Northern Ireland were denied an opportunity to take a major step forward in making the promise of peace contained in the Good Friday Peace Accords a daily reality. Today, David Trimble, President of the Ulster Unionist Party, refused to lend his party's critical support to the implementation of a key provision of that agreement--the establishment of a Northern Ireland legislature and the appointment of its twelve member, multiparty executive. Ironically, in refusing to cooperate in the formation of the assembly, the Ulster Unionists are further away from their stated goal of ensuring IRA decommissioning of its weapons at the earliest possible date.

Regrettably, despite the herculean efforts of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to move the process forward, the so called d'Hondt mechanism provided for in the agreement has been run and an attempt to form an executive with cross community support has failed. I am deeply disappointed that the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party has been unable to garner the necessary support of its membership to honor the obligations that the leadership committed that party to when it signed the Accords on April 8, 1998. More importantly, the people of Northern Ireland, who turned out in large numbers to participate in last year's referendum endorsing the Good Friday Accords, must also be deeply disappointed that once again their political leaders have fallen short, let this deadline pass and jeopardized the peace process.

Where do we go from here? Prime Minister Blair and Taoiseach Ahern will meet next week to reassess the situation, including the possibility of implementing those provisions of the agreement that fall within the mandate of the British and Irish Governments. In addition, the parties are required by the terms of the agreement to undertake a fundamental review at this juncture. In the meantime, I would hope that the people of Northern Ireland, Protestant and Catholic, who stand the most to lose if this agreement is allowed to wither on the vine, will let their political leaders know how disappointed they are that the agreement is not being implemented in good faith. I would also call upon those who have resorted to violence in the past to refrain from doing so--violence can never resolve the political and sectarian conflicts of Northern Ireland.

Mr. President, for more than a quarter of a century Protestants and Catholics throughout the North have lived in fear that a trip to the movies or the market place could prove to be a fatal one because sectarian violence has been a common occurrence in their daily lives. The Northern Ireland Peace agreement was designed to end the cycle of violence that has destroyed so many families in Northern Ireland. It can still accomplish that goal. There is still time for all of the parties to find the political courage to do the right thing for the people who they claim to represent.

Mr. President, I like to think of myself as a realist, yet despite the events of the last several days I am optimistic that the Good Friday Accords remain the key to unlocking the formula for a lasting peace throughout Ireland. With the help of the British, Irish and American governments, there is still time for Northern Ireland's political leaders to find within themselves the courage to move forward with the implementation of the Accords. I hope and pray they do so before that time runs out.