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Said the son of one of the architects of the Good Friday Pact I His father would have welcomed anything President Joe Biden could do to bring the Northern Ireland parliament back into session.
Nicholas Trimble, son of former UUP leader David Trimble, who led the union side in the Good Friday deal negotiations in April 1998, said he believed Stormont should attend the meeting.
President Biden is set to land in Belfast on Tuesday night to celebrate the 25th anniversary of peace in Northern Ireland.
The president is expected to try to convince the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to return to Stormont and return Congress to session.
Some DUP and Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politicians have voted to return to parliament until the Windsor Accords for Rishi snacks are changed to eliminate border checks on goods traveling between Northern Ireland and mainland Britain. I continue to strongly oppose it. The name supports President Biden’s efforts to break the deadlock.
“From our perspective, Stormont should be up and running,” said Trimble, UUP trustee for Lisburn North. “To be completely honest, the downside of Stormont not sitting outweighs the upside of being able to sit.
“So if Biden could add weight to that debate, as I believe my father would have done, I welcome it. is always there.”
Northern Ireland’s parliament has lost seats since Sinn Fein won the most seats in the election last May. This was the first time a nationalist party won seats in Northern Ireland since the 1921 partition.
After the elections, the DUP abstained from voting to elect Stormont’s Speaker, resulting in the collapse of parliament.
Mr Trimble said I The other son of Northern Ireland political icon Ian Paisley Jr.
Mr Paisley is the son of DUP leader Dr Ian Paisley, and DUP MPs themselves, unless the Windsor framework is redrawn to allow the free flow of goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. , said the party would not return to Stormont.
He added that he would demand that the DUP withdraw new “threats of violence” from anti-establishment Republican terrorist groups before it returns to Stormont.
he said:
“There is no need to make concessions or concessions to those who have broken the peace.”
Trimble said the DUP’s position was “short-sighted” and that it might be too late for President Biden to change his mind.
“I think they missed the opportunity to save face and bring Stormont back to life.
“I think the opportunity to do that was in the aftermath of the Windsor Framework. But they didn’t want to take the risk, so I think the window of opportunity passed them by.
“They are in a position where something else has to happen before they can save face and return to Congress, and I don’t know what that is at this point.
“The hardline Unionists must understand is that a functioning Stormont cadre and a functioning Northern Ireland are good for them because they protect Unionism. Some people think their vision is a little short-sighted at times.”
But it’s not just resistance from DUP counterparts to a return to Stormont that Trimble faces.
Belfast Chief Sheriff and UUP Trustee John Kyle said: He has yet to win the trust of many Unionists.
“That said, we are delighted to welcome him to Northern Ireland and look forward to working closely with his administration. I appreciate it.
“A truly impartial US administration would help restore political stability and help us emerge from the difficulties caused by Brexit.”
Mr Trimble added that his father’s efforts during the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement (also known as the Belfast Agreement) would be in vain unless all Unionist politicians came together and regrouped in Stormt.
“Many people have their fingerprints on the Good Friday Pact, but I truly believe they would never have crossed the line without my father. personnel must return to Stormont.”
Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Fein’s vice-president and incoming Prime Minister of Northern Ireland’s parliament, also called on the DUP to return to Stormont.
“Peace, stability and economic opportunity are all connected and the onus lies with governments, political parties and especially the DUP, to revive the administration and other GFA institutions so that we can move forward and resume business. We have a responsibility to do so,” said Ms O’Neill. .
“As the next Prime Minister, I am absolutely determined to work with others to make politics work and serve all citizens. It’s time to form the
Since decentralization began in Northern Ireland 22 years ago, Stormont has been without a functioning government for more than a third of its life.
Ahead of President Biden’s arrival in Belfast and his visit to the south later this week, O’Neill added: united states of america.
“It is a special moment for him to come and address both houses of the Oirichitas at the signing of the 25 Years of Peace and Good Friday Peace Accord in 1998.
“I welcome President Biden’s commitment to this work by appointing Special Envoy Joe Kennedy III. I look forward to working with you.”