Sir, - The effects of Britain's BSE crisis on John Major's general election winning hopes ought, to prove more salutary and hopefully less lethal when it comes to the question of accepting the compromise of a renewed IRA ceasefire, and hence a historic settlement in lieu of decommissioning. Particularly given the present British government's new BSE compensatory driven, dependency on an EU which will have an Irish presidency in the second half of this year.
This latter reality, combined with the Tories hard electoral needs and confidence on the part of republicans that the so called nationalist alliance, of the Northern nationalist parties and Dublin and Washington will have sufficient weight to guarantee a just outcome from a renewed cessation, might be most significant if it is diplomatically used to persuade the present British government of the rewards of living up to its position of responsibility in the Northern peace process. - Yours, etc.,
Montague Road,
Handsworth,
Birmingham.