At those face-to-face meetings,organised by three local individuals,the position of each side was explored and the prospects of establishing a pathway to a settlement were assessed,away from the glare of publicity. It was the start of what was to become one of the world’s most successful peace processes. Those meetings were the catalyst for the events that led to the Good Friday Agreement five years later.
The meetings occurred at a time of heightened conflict,as well as the memorable comment in Westminster by then British prime minister John Major that “it would turn his stomach” to speak to the IRA. Yet when this back channel was exposed in the media,the reaction was different from what could be expected. The British cabinet minister responsible,Patrick Mayhew,offered his resignation,but it was soon realised that his sanctioning these meetings received widespread approval and even some plaudits from the opposition benches.
The British public strongly supported and appreciated his efforts at securing peace. The obvious lesson is that peace can only come when political figures are prepared to take risks,and that the public will often understand. Is there anything here that could be read across to the current Gaza/Israeli conflict?
It is very difficult for democratic governments to admit they are in dialogue with groups that mainstream society would classify as terrorists. But there is also an onus on government to understand the forces that motivate such movements and to ascertain what will bring their activities to an end. Unless there is some form of communication,there is no pathway to a settlement. Hence,a dilemma,and governments usually opt for deniable interactions involving non-state intermediaries and/or their own intelligence services. The current hostilities in Gaza are following that pattern.
So,can the experiences gained in the Northern Ireland peace process be used in resolving other conflicts,including the one in Gaza? The first lesson is that all conflicts are different;each has its own origins,its own complications,and will need its own unique resolution. However,the resolution of a longstanding and apparently intractable dispute in Northern Ireland can give hope in other areas.
The common thread in most successful peace settlements is the presence of strong political leadership. The biggest impediment to resolution in most disputes is the absence of trust between the warring parties. It takes a strong leader to bring the doubters on his/her own side along with the necessary compromises. As the late former South African presidentF.W. de Klerk stated repeatedly,the toughest discussions are not with your adversary across the table but with your own side. It is in your own private room where a credible position must be arrived at,but it is also critical not to split your own delegation. I think every party to the Good Friday Agreement negotiations would re-echo de Klerk’s observations.