“A Pale Green Mermaid Blog”
Making Peace by George Mitchell / Chapter 10 of 16 (synopsis)
Talks began again in January 1997 , the negotiations were a rehashing of the decommissioning issues, in the meantime the IRA was active again.
The Labour party was gaining ground in England and the Conservative party was weakening, talks were adjourned March 3, until June. No progress had been made in the Northern Ireland negotiations.
Many personal crises had occured in Mr. Mitchell’s personal life during the full negotiation period, he wondered whether the talks were hopeless, to himself. The Labour party and Tony Blair seemed poised to win the elections in England. Mr. Mitchell was concerned about family obligations. He decided to return to Ireland and wait until August for a final decision as whether he would remain involved in the process.
Mr Mitchell returned in June to Ireland amid a new round of violence, he hoped the new British government might be able to break the deadlock in negotiations. It looked bleak.
PEACE
