Political Quotes

“earlier this week, the International Body chaired by the Honorable George Mitchell, the distinguished former Senate majority leader, issued its report regarding the Northern Ireland peace process. Specifically, the International Body was charged by the British and Irish Governments with examining the twin tracks in the peace process--namely the decommissioning of weapons and all-party talks. As my colleagues are aware, the current sticking point in the peace process is the relationship between the decommissioning of weapons and the convening of all-party talks. The International Body has done an excellent job of reaching out to the various parties to hear their views on this difficult matter, and of characterizing the opposing views on that issue. I would particularly like to commend my friend George Mitchell for the fine work he has done in this regard. The report lays out a very balanced set of recommendations focusing on six principles. Among other things, it recommends that the parties to the conflict "affirm their total and absolute commitment" to democratic and exclusively peaceful means of resolving political issues, to the "total disarmament" of all paramilitary organizations, and that they renounce and oppose any effort to use force or threaten to use force to influence the all-party negotiations. The report recognizes that "there is clear commitment" to decommission weapons as part of the process of all-party talks.”