[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 17, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2836-S2837]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE GOOD FRIDAY PEACE AGREEMENT
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 64, introduced earlier today by
myself.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The bill clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 64) recognizing the historic
significance of the first anniversary of the Good Friday
Peace Agreement.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate
consideration of the resolution?
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, as the Senator from Kansas has noted--and,
Mr. President, your tie notes--today is St. Patrick's Day, and it is a
fitting time to remember not only the Irish heritage, which so many
Americans--over 40 million--claim, but also as equally important is the
significant progress that has been made in this island nation over the
last several months to finally bring peace. Tributes, of course, could
be given to so many different people.
Today, we were meeting with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, as well as
President Clinton, and the leaders from Northern Ireland, as well as
the Republic of Ireland, celebrating their courage and the fact that
they have received the Nobel Peace Prize for their endeavors, and
really making certain that we double our resolve so that peace can come
to that land.
The Good Friday Peace Agreement that was entered into and initiated
about a year ago outlined the political settlement to three decades of
political and sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. It also reminds
us, too, that there is a lot of hard work to be done to complete this
agreement.
Over the last 30 years, more than 3,200 people have died in Northern
Ireland and thousands more were injured. In 1997, the British and Irish
Governments sponsored peace talks, chaired by our former colleague,
Senator George Mitchell, and attended by eight political parties.
Senator Mitchell will be receiving an award this evening at the White
House from the President and representatives of Ireland for his amazing
role in bringing about this peace process. It is a much-deserved
accolade.
An agreement was reached on April 10, 1998, that includes the
formation of a Northern Ireland Assembly, a North/South Ministerial
Council, and a British-Irish Council. The agreement also contains
provisions on human rights, decommissioning of weapons, policing, and
prisoners. Voters in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
approved the agreement on May 22. Elections to the new assembly were
held on June 25. Enabling legislation has been passed by the Irish and
British Parliaments, the necessary international agreements have been
signed, and many prisoners have been released.
However, some contentious issues still remain before the agreement is
implemented. In addition to former Senator George Mitchell, the Clinton
administration and many Members of Congress and Senators have played a
positive role in the peace process. Again, the parties have turned to
the United States for leadership and mediation. Many party leaders from
Northern Ireland will be at the White House this evening. Let me also
say I attended last night a special tribute to one of our colleagues,
Senator Ted Kennedy. The American-Ireland Fund presented him with their
Man of the Year Award for his extraordinary contribution toward this
peace process throughout his career in the U.S. Senate.
This resolution which we are considering today is cosponsored by 34
of my colleagues. It recognizes the historic first anniversary of the
Good Friday peace agreement, encourages the parties to move forward to
implement it, and congratulates the people of the Republic of Ireland
and Northern Ireland for their courageous commitment to work together
for peace. I appreciate my colleagues' support of this resolution, and
I hope it will add another constructive measure of support for the
meetings going on at the White House today.
I am glad the Senate, when it enacts this resolution, will be on
record this year to not only celebrate the legacy of Ireland and the
legacy of St. Patrick, but to look to the future of that great country,
a future in peace, a future as one people.
Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I strongly support this timely resolution
and its tribute to the courage and vision of the political leaders of
Northern Ireland who have given that land an extraodinary opportunity
for peace.
By signing the historic Good Friday Peace Agreement last April,
leaders such as John Hume, David Trimble, Gerry Adams, and others
launched a new era of peace and reconciliation for all the people of
Northern Ireland. And I commend as well the indispensable contributions
to the peace process by President Clinton, our former Senate colleague
George Mitchell, Prime Minister Bertie Ahern of Ireland and Prime
Minister Tony Blair of Great Britain.
The goal of the peace process is to end thirty years of violence and
bloodshed in Northern Ireland, reduce divisions between Unionists and
Nationalists, and build new bridges of opportunity between the two
communities. Through this process, they have committed themselves to
finding the needle of peace in the haystack of violence--and they are
finding it. When those of lesser vision urged a lesser course, the
leaders in Northern Ireland acted boldly. They tirelessly dedicated
themselves to the pursuit of peace, and they made difficult political
choices to bring their noble vision of a peace agreement to reality.
As we all know, there are still miles to go before the victory of
lasting peace is finally won. But because of what they accomplished,
there is better hope for the future. They have made an enormous
difference, perhaps all the difference, for peace. Their achievement in
the Good Friday Peace Agreement has changed the course of history for
all the people in Northern Ireland.
The task now facing all of us who care about this process is to build
greater momentum for full implementation of the Agreement. There has
been welcome recent progress. Last month, the Northern Ireland Assembly
approved the designation of the Northern Ireland Departments and the
group of cross-border bodies. Last week, Britain and Ireland signed
historic treaties for closer ties. Prisoners have been released. The
British have reduced their troop levels to the lowest point in twenty
years. We are also heartened by the establishment of the Human Rights
Commissions.
Full implementation of the Agreement offers the best way forward and
the best yardstick to judge the policies and actions of all involved.
The goal of peace is best served by prompt action on the Agreement.
Those who take risks for peace can be assured of timely support by
President Clinton, Congress, and the American people.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, at this point I ask unanimous consent the
resolution and preamble be agreed to en bloc, the motion to reconsider
be laid
[[Page S2837]]
upon the table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in
the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 64) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 64
Whereas Ireland has a long and tragic history of civil
conflict that has left a deep and profound legacy of
suffering;
Whereas since 1969 more than 3,200 people have died and
thousands more have been injured as a result of political
violence in Northern Ireland;
Whereas a series of efforts by the Governments of the
Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom to facilitate
peace and an announced cessation of hostilities created an
historic opportunity for a negotiated peace;
Whereas in June 1996, for the first time since the
partition of Ireland in 1922, representatives elected from
political parties in Northern Ireland pledged to adhere to
the principles of nonviolence and commenced talks regarding
the future of Northern Ireland;
Whereas the talks greatly intensified in the spring of 1998
under the chairmanship of former United States Senator George
Mitchell;
Whereas the active participation of British Prime Minister
Tony Blair and Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was critical to
the success of the talks;
Whereas on Good Friday, April 10, 1998, the parties to the
negotiations each made honorable compromises to conclude a
peace agreement for Northern Ireland, which has become known
as the Good Friday Peace Agreement;
Whereas on Friday, May 22, 1998, an overwhelming majority
of voters in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of
Ireland approved by referendum the Good Friday Peace
Agreement;
Whereas the United States must remain involved politically
and economically to ensure the long-term success of the Good
Friday Peace Agreement; and
Whereas April 10, 1999, marks the first anniversary of the
Good Friday Peace Agreement: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes the historic significance of the first
anniversary of the Good Friday Peace Agreement;
(2) salutes British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the elected representatives of the
political parties in Northern Ireland for creating the
opportunity for a negotiated peace;
(3) commends former Senator George Mitchell for his
leadership on behalf of the United States in guiding the
parties toward peace;
(4) congratulates the people of the Republic of Ireland and
Northern Ireland for their courageous commitment to work
together in peace;
(5) reaffirms the bonds of friendship and cooperation that
exist between the United States and the Governments of the
Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, which ensure that
the United States and those Governments will continue as
partners in peace; and
(6) encourages all parties to move forward to implement the
Good Friday Peace Agreement.
Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I have a series of items I need to go
through and a discussion I want to have, but I understand the Senator
from Michigan has some comments to make, so I yield the floor to the
Senator from Michigan.
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