Irish Rivals Unite for Self-Rule

Powersharing agreement in Northern Ireland will allow continuation of self-rule
By Caroline Miller,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 27, 2007 12:05 PM CDT
Irish Rivals Unite for Self-Rule
Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley, left, and Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams speak to the media during a press conference at the Stormont Assembly building in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Monday March 26, 2007. Sitting side by side for the first time in history, the leaders of Northern Ireland   (Associated Press)

Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams sat down together yesterday and agreed  to a power sharing deal for Northern Ireland that would include their rival parties. A British deadline to disband the national assembly if a pact wasn't forthcoming jump-started the negotiations, after four years of stalled talks.  The coalition government will be formed by May 8.

Adams and Paisely refused to shake hands, but offered tempered words of hope. "We must not allow our justified loathing of the horrors and tragedies of the past to become a barrier to creating a better and more stable future," Paisley said. Blair pushed hard for the settlement before he retires from office this summer. (More Northern Ireland stories.)

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