Another landmark in the Northern Ireland peace process has been passed with the publication yesterday of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation's paper on "Paths to a Political Settlement in Ireland". Regrettably, it has failed to elicit a consensus among the twelve parties involved on the crucial matters of self determination and consent, because Sinn Fein refused to agree with the Forum's statement of principles on these issues.
But this does not represent a failure of the Forum, which was set up to establish a political dialogue in which Sinn Fein could participate. On the contrary, by its scrupulous summary of realities and principles the paper successfully identifies the main elements of agreement and disagreement in that dialogue and lays an important foundation for substantive negotiations.
To draw the conclusion that the Forum has failed, it would be necessary to argue that consensus on the methods of securing self determination and consent are essential at this stage of the peace process, before substantive talks have begun. In fact this has not been the accepted position so far as Sinn Fein is concerned at any stage. They have not accepted the Downing Street Declaration or the Framework Document between the two governments to the letter, because of the same obstacles. But they have been willing to accept the process on the basis that the methods of expressing self determination and consent should be part of the substantive negotiations and not preagreed.
That is their business. All the other parties represented at the Forum, and the overwhelming majority of the electorate in Britain and Ireland, accept that the principle of consent requires the right of the majority in Northern Ireland to decide separately if concurrently - on the outcome of negotiations. It is one thing for them to be perplexed about why Sinn Fein can agree to enter a process without signing on to the principle, and to point this out sharply in political exchanges with them, as Mr Seamus Mallon of the SDLP did yesterday. It is quite another to conclude that their failure to do so means that the ceasefire is imperilled and the peace process about to break down.
Such a judgment would have to be based on much wider considerations and obstacles than are thrown up in the failure of the Forum to reach a consensus on the principles of self determination and consent. It should not be overlooked that Sinn Fein is ready to accept the other elements of this document, including its commitment to peaceful and democratic means of resolving political differences. Should they not therefore be willing to sign on to the six principles set out in the Mitchell arms decommissioning report as a means of reassuring their opponents and building confidence?
Equally, it is essential that the two governments and all the political parties unionists included redouble their efforts to find means to overcome the arms decommissioning and election obstacles that block the path to substantive talks. If they fail to make such progress, the peace process could indeed be endangered. Yesterday's attack on the home of a part time RUC officer, no matter who was responsible for it, is an unnerving reminder of what is at stake were that to happen.