16 May 2007
The lessons learnt during the Northern Ireland peace process could prove useful in conflict resolution around the world, Tony Blair has said.
His comments came in our latest podcast where he and Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern are interviewed by chat show host Patrick Kielty about the restoration of devolution.
Ministers from the four main parties in Northern Ireland took a pledge of office in a ceremony at Stormont last Tuesday, bringing devolved Government back to the region after five years.
The TV star begins the podcast joking that the last time someone called Paddy was let into No10, John Major had the glaziers in for a week.
Reflecting on the last 10 years, Mr Blair reveals that he sensed a change in Irish politics when he came to power which made him feel “crazily optimistic” about the prospect of peace.
The opportunity was there, he adds, what it needed was the determination to keep the process going over a decade, despite the inevitable setbacks.
Mr Kielty, whose own father died in the Troubles, asks about the “necessary evils” of the Good Friday Agreement which saw the early release of prisoners from both sides.
The PM says that principles in politics are important, but they shouldn’t be “hoarded” so that people are not open to what is necessary to live together and make progress.
There were lessons there for the Palestinian issue and conflict resolution around the world, he adds.
Mr Ahern also recalls times that the process was “in the balance”, with Ian Paisley refusing to shake hands or speak to him for some time.
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