Northern-Ireland-1

1、*The agreement also stated that power could not be devolved back to Northern Ireland unless it enshrined the principle of power sharing.Opinions on this agreement were mixed. Unionist believed this was the fist step to a united Ireland. Sinn Fein condemned the agreement for confirming the partition

2、of Ireland. Other nationalist welcomed the agreement.The Anglo-Irish Agreement, signed in November 1985 also stated: *Northern Ireland would remain independent of the Republic as long as that was the will of the majority in the north.*Officials from Britain and the Republic will have a consultative

3、role in the running of the province for the first time, with the setting up of the Intergovernmental Conference to discuss security and political issues. That the majority of the people of Northern Ireland at the time wished to remain as part of the United Kingdom and that Northern Irelands present

4、and continuing status as part of the United Kingdom was a reflection of that wishThat a substantial section of the people of Northern Ireland, and the majority of the people of the island of Ireland, wished to bring about a united Ireland; that both views were legitimate.That it was only for the peo

5、ple of Ireland as a whole, by agreement between North and South, to exercise their right of self-determination on the basis of consent, freely and concurrently given, to bring about a united Ireland.Multi-parties to use any influence they may have to bring about the decommissioning of all paramilita

6、ry arms within two years of the agreement Both the British and Irish governments committed to the early release of prisoners serving sentences inconnection with the activities of paramilitary groups Provided they are committed to a ceasefire.The Good Friday Agreement came into force on Dec 2,1999. On that day, direct London rule came to an end in Northern Ireland when power was formally devolved to the new Northern Ireland Assembly. However to prev