The Belfast Agreement

Unionists sought to maintain Northern Ireland's place in the United Kingdom, while nationalists sought a united Ireland. The conflict also concerned power and security within the region. [1] [2]

Negotiators reached the Belfast Agreement on 10 April 1998 after talks chaired by former American senator George Mitchell. British and Irish ministers worked with Northern Ireland’s political parties on arrangements to share power after decades of killings had made even participation in the same process difficult. [1] [4]

Under Bill Clinton, the United States had become closely involved in the search for peace. His administration combined private contacts with public support for a negotiated settlement, while Mitchell helped sustain the talks among the governments and parties that would have to carry it out. [4]

The agreement recognized that Northern Ireland’s constitutional status could change only with the consent of a majority there. A new assembly and executive would bring unionists and nationalists into government together, alongside institutions linking Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland and linking the two governments. [1] [2]

Voters endorsed the settlement in referendums on 22 May. Disarmament, policing, and the release of prisoners still required difficult decisions as the governments and parties put the agreement into practice. [3] [5]

Related Diplomats

1. Sir Christopher Meyer [8] [9] [10]

Related Reading

• The United Kingdom and the United States