Sir. The letter from John Robb and the New Ireland Group on "the right to self determination" (May 30th) is welcome and timely. He gives a lucid account of the importance of a consensual approach to self determination which encourages inter dependence, by marrying the right to exist and belong to an obligation to share and conserve for future growth.
While we witnessed a self imposed apartheid by the mainstream unionists during the recent trip to South Africa, it is to be hoped that they learnt a little from the magnanimity and progressive spirit of the partners in government in that fine country. Likewise, Sinn Fein should move beyond claims that the ANC, never declared a cease fire before the multilateral talks to a realisation that, de facto, they not only stopped the violence but intervened vitally at various stages when sporadic outbreaks threatened the continuation of dialogue. The ANCm took a principled stand for peace. Northern Ireland talks resume, I identify fully with John Robb's hope that the sectarian language of self determination is transcended by a generous sense of interdependence. - Yours, etc., Islandtasserty Road, Coleraine, Co Derry.