The formal decisions by the SDLP and Sinn Fein to contest the Northern Ireland elections on March 31st, should be welcomed as gestures of compromise - even if somewhat grudgingly made - towards the unionist parties. From the beginning, nationalist parties were opposed to the introduction of elections as a mechanism for entry to all party talks. But they have now agreed to pay that price in the interests of talks and the possibility of a political settlement. A further price remains to be paid by the IRA - the reinstatement of its 1994 ceasefire - before Sinn Fein can be admitted by the two governments into the three stranded negotiation process.
The advances of yesterday should not be allowed to disguise the very real difficulties which have to be overcome before the elections are held. And, having surmounted those, the negotiations will still have to be faced. It will be a long and involved process. Already, fragmentation is taking place within both unionist and nationalist communities as the various political groups seek party advantage. Mr Gerry Adams has attacked Mr Eddie McGrady of the SDLP for suggesting that his party would consider participating in the proposed Northern Ireland forum in the event of such an action being beneficial to the negotiations. And the Rev Ian Paisley is said to be furious over a British government decision to favour the approach of Mr David Trimble and to exclude the names of party leaders from ballot papers. Skirmishing between the parties on these and on quite unrelated issues will almost certainly generate further friction and polarisation.
The fine detail of the election process will not become known until next week, following the passage of the Bill through the House of Lords, when the British government makes an electoral order. At that stage, the parties will finally know where they stand. And about four weeks of intensive campaigning will lie ahead. As the election campaign cranks up, pressure will build on the IRA to reinstate its ceasefire. And, inevitably, there will be demands on Mr Adams to use his influence with that organisation to achieve the result desired by the broad electorate. Yesterday, the Sinn Fein leader contented himself with repeating the formula that Sinn Fein intended to defend its mandate and would therefore be entitled, as of right, to participate in the all party talks. But Mr Adams knows this formula cuts no ice with the people he has to negotiate with and it will never be accepted by the two governments. It is time he began to explore the hard terms of compromise with his followers.
Last Sunday, the Government was criticised by the leader of Fianna Fail, Mr Bertie Ahern, on the grounds that it had failed to preserve the peace process. Yesterday's events represented the opening gambit by the two governments in bringing that peace process back on track. In addition, Mr John Bruton and Mr Dick Spring have agreed a firm date for all party negotiations to begin on June 10th. Comprehensive ground rules have been agreed for the conduct of those talks, based on the template of the Framework Document. And the Northern Ireland forum has been suitably insulated from the negotiation process. If, as Mr Ahern suggested, Sinn Fein requires reassurances that its particular difficulties will be recognised and that legitimate nationalist grievances will be addressed at an early date, the Government should attempt to meet those concerns. But no matter how understanding or helpful the Government might wish to be, there can be no evading the requirement of an IRA ceasefire.