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Voice of America, 98-04-12Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>CONTENTS
[01] NORTHERN IRELAND / SUNDAY (L) BY STEVE NORMAN (WASHINGTON)DATE=4/12/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-229542 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY BY ALL PARTIES IN THE NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE PROCESS TO GAIN SUPPORT FOR THE AGREEMENT WHICH COULD BRING PEACE TO THE BRITISH PROVINCE. STEVE NORMAN REPORTS SINN FEIN CHIEF NEGOTIATOR MARTIN MC GUINNESS AND FORMER U-S LAWMAKER GEORGE MITCHELL, WHO MEDIATED THE PEACE AGREEMENT, APPEARED ON U-S TELEVISION (SUNDAY) TO TALK ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT. TEXT: THE AGREEMENT COULD END 30-YEARS OF CONFLICT OVER WHO CONTROLS NORTHERN IRELAND. FORMER U-S SENATOR GEORGE MITCHELL, WHO APPEARED ON THE A-B-C NEWS PROGRAM, "THIS WEEK", MEDIATED THE PEACE DEAL. // MITCHELL ACTUALITY //THIS AGREEMENT REALLY DOES NOT FINALIZE PEACE. IT CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION. THERE IS A VERY LONG WAY TO GO. MANY, MANY STEPS YET TO BE TAKEN. IT IS A GOOD FIRST STEP, BUT THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO. // END ACTUALITY //THE LONG WAY TO GO SENATOR MITCHELL TALKED ABOUT BEGINS WITH THE NEXT OFFICIAL STEP. ON MAY 22ND, PEOPLE IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE IRISH REPUBLIC WILL GO TO THE POLLS TO EITHER ACCEPT OR REJECT THE PEACE PLAN. ON THE STREETS OF BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND PEOPLE HAVE EXPRESSED MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT THE PEACE PLAN. // STREET REACTION ACTUALITY //PEOPLE HAVE WOKE UP HERE THIS MORNING TO REALITY THAT IT IS GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN A PIECE OF PAPER TO GET THIS PEACE AGREEMENT GOING. PEOPLE MUST STOP SAYING NO, NO , NO AND SAY YES, YES, YES AND COOPERATE. I THINK THERE IS NOTHING IN THAT AGREEMENT FOR ME OR MY FAMILY. AND I THINK THAT EVERYTHING THAT WAS AGREED TO WAS EXACTLY WHAT THE TERRORISTS HAVE ASKED FOR. // END ACTUALITY //THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY'S POLITICAL WING -- SINN FEIN -- HAS STARTED BUILDING SUPPORT FOR THE PEACE ACCORD. SINN FEIN CHIEF NEGOTIATOR MARTIN MC GUINNESS REPRESENTED HIS GROUP'S NATIONALIST VIEWPOINT IN THE PEACE TALKS. HE APPEARED ON THE N-B-C NEWS PROGRAM, "MEET THE PRESS", WHERE HE DESCRIBED WHAT IS NEXT FOR SINN FEIN. // MC GUINNESS ACTUALITY //WE, OF COURSE, WILL EXAMINE THE AGREEMENT TO ESTABLISH WHETHER OR NOT IT HAS THE DYNAMIC WITHIN IT TO REMOVE ALL OF THE INEQUALITIES, THE INJUSTICES, THE DISCRIMINATION, AND THE DOMINATION WHICH THE NATIONALIST PEOPLE HAVE ENDURED UNDER BRITISH RULE SINCE IRELAND WAS PARTITIONED. WE WILL ALSO EXAMINE IT TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT IT CAN MOVE US IN A TRANSITIONAL WAY TOWARDS SINN FEIN'S PRIMARY OBJECTIVE WHICH IS, OF COURSE, THE EVENTUAL RE-UNIFICATION OF IRELAND. // END ACTUALITY //THE LEADERSHIP OF NORTHERN IRELAND'S POWERFUL "ULSTER UNIONISTS" PARTY -- HAS VOTED 55-23 TO BACK THE POWER-SHARING PLAN WITH THE NATIONALISTS. THE SATURDAY VOTE CAME AFTER A LONG AND STORMY DEBATE. BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR HAS ASKED HIS PREDECESSOR, JOHN MAJOR, TO HELP WIN SUPPORT FOR THE NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE ACCORD. MR. BLAIR ALSO HOPES U-S PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON WILL HELP IN THE
CAMPAIGN LEADING UP TO THE SEPARATE REFERENDA IN MAY IN NORTHERN
IRELAND AND THE IRISH REPUBLIC. (SIGNED)
[02] BUSINESS / NORTHERN IRELAND BY STEVE NORMAN (WASHINGTON)DATE=4/12/98TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-40039 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: IN RECENT DAYS THE PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE TALKS AGREED UPON A PLAN TO SETTLE THE DISPUTES WHICH HAVE DIVIDED THEM FOR THREE DECADES. STEVE NORMAN REPORTS THERE IS SPECULATION AMONG BUSINESS EXPERTS THE AGREEMENT, IF APPROVED, COULD SPARK ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR THE BRITISH PROVINCE. TEXT: EXPERTS SAY WITH PEACE COMES PROSPERITY. PETER TCHANSKY, WHO HELPED THE WHITE HOUSE ORGANIZE A CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS IN NORTHERN IRELAND, SAYS U-S INVESTMENT THERE SHOULD INCREASE, IF PEACE COMES TO THE BRITISH PROVINCE. //TCHANSKY ACTUALITY //THIS (BUSINESS INVESTMENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND) HAS NOT GOTTEN ITS FAIR SHARE BECAUSE OF THE UNCOMFORT THAT BUSINESS PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THE VIOLENCE. // END ACTUALITY //PRESIDENT CLINTON, WHO CONVENED THE WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON INVESTMENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND, SAID HE KNOWS THE PROCESS OF BRINGING PEACE AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY TO THE REGION WILL TAKE TIME. HE PLEDGED U-S SUPPORT. // CLINTON ACTUALITY //OF COURSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE PAIN AND HATRED OF SO MANY YEARS CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE WASHED AWAY IN ONE WEEKEND, SO ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I PLEDGE THE CONTINUING AIDS, SUPPORT, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND PRAYERS OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE EFFORT TO BUILD A LASTING PEACE AND AN ENDURING PROSPERITY IN IRELAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND. // END ACTUALITY //IRELAND HAS ALWAYS DEPENDED UPON TOURISM FOR A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF ITS PROSPERITY. TRAVEL INDUSTRY ANALYST STEVE LOUCKS SAYS NORTHERN IRELAND ALSO COULD BE A POPULAR DESTINATION FOR TRAVELERS. // LOUCKS ACTUALITY //YOU WOULD SEE A GREAT INCREASE IN TOURISM TO NORTHERN IRELAND IF, IN FACT, THERE IS A STABLE PEACE THERE. // END ACTUALITY //MR. LOUCKS SAYS IF THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND
APPROVE THE PEACE ACCORD IN MAY 23RD REFERENDA, IT MIGHT COME
JUST IN TIME FOR NORTHERN IRELAND TO BENEFIT FROM THE SUMMER AND
FALL TRAVEL SEASONS. (SIGNED)
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