U.K., Ireland to pursue pact

Press, 14 December 1985, Page 11

U.K., Ireland to pursue pact

NZPA-Reuter Belfast Britain and Ireland have pledged to continue implementing their controversial agreement on Northern Ireland despite attempts to wreck it by opponents on both sides of the divided community. After Thursday’s inaugural meeting of the An-glo-Irish Conference, the corner-stone of the new accord signed last month, the Irish: Foreign Minister, Mr Peter Barry, said that the two governments might be on the road to achieving

peace and stability in the troubled North.

He emphasised that the process was at an early stage.

The co-chairman of the new body, Britain’s Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr Tom King, said that the new effort would not bring overnight success but “I think it is a genuine and constructive way.” The historic first meeting was held against a background of demonstrations by angry Protestants, in which 38 policemen were injured,

and a mortar attack by republican guerrillas on a country police station that left four officers in hospital. The Irish Republican Army said that its attack on the police station in Tynan, County Armagh, the fourth such raid in a week, was not specifically aimed at the agreeement but sought “the removal of the undemocratic and repressive British presence in Ireland.” But Irish Government sources said that both countries had been expecting an upsurge in guerrilla efforts

to wreck the deal, which is aimed at ending the alienation of the Catholic nationalist minority that has provided the I.R.A. with its support. Protestants see it as a first step towards a reunified Ireland.

The opening session of the conference concentrated on ways of improving cooperation between the two countries to help combat guerrilla violence.

The main concrete result of the first session was agreement that more armed

Irish police, including special anti-terrorist units, would be drafted into border areas to help stop the movement of guerrillas. The two sides also agreed on measures aimed at improving the image among Catholics of the mainly Protestant security forces. These include a new code of conduct for police and the inclusion of regular police officers in patrols by the largely Protestant Ulster Defence Regiment, which is deeply distrusted by Catholics. '