Conference tallis::celt

1283.0. "Majority of British flexible on NI..." by TALLIS::DARCY (Alpha Migration Tools) Wed Nov 10 1993 13:04

Article 8925 of clari.news.europe:
Path: sousa.ako.dec.com!nntpd.lkg.dec.com!nntpd2.cxo.dec.com!pa.dec.com!decwrl!uunet!looking!dogmead!clarinews
From: [email protected] (DAVID ALEXANDER)
Newsgroups: clari.news.gov.international,clari.news.europe,clari.news.issues.conflict
Subject: Poll finds Britons flexible on Northern Ireland
Keywords: international, non-usa government, government, war & peace,
	social issues
Copyright: 1993 by UPI, R
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
References: <[email protected]>
X-Supersedes: <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 93 9:15:34 EST
Location: great britain, ulster
ACategory: international
Slugword: ulster-poll
Priority: regular
Format: regular
ANPA: Wc: 503/476; Id: a0481; Sel: na--i; Adate: 11-10-N/A; Ver: 0/1
Approved: [email protected]
Codes: yigfrgb., yixwrul., yigfrxx., xxxxxxxx, //na--i/, na--i
Lines: 47
Xref: sousa.ako.dec.com clari.news.gov.international:28210 clari.news.europe:8925 clari.news.issues.conflict:4374

	LONDON (UPI) -- An opinion poll published Wednesday shows Britons are
generally flexible on a settlement for Northern Ireland, with most
believing the IRA or its political wing should be included in talks and
less than one-fifth insisting the province remain part of the United
Kingdom.
	Although a majority said the Irish Republican Army or its political
wing, Sinn Fein, should participate in talks on resolving the conflict
in Northern Ireland, most said the two groups should be admitted to the
discussions only after they have renounced violence.
	The poll results, published by The Guardian newspaper, came a day
after Prime Minister John Major completed a round of meetings with
Ulster political leaders as part of his new drive to restart the talks
on Northern Ireland.
	A bloody round of violence between nationalists and loyalists stunned
the province in late October and provided new impetus for restarting the
talks. Major vowed to intensify his own efforts after he and Irish Prime
Minister Albert Reynolds agreed on a joint statement of principles on
the situation.
	The opinion poll published Wednesday shows Britons are generally
flexible about the shape of any settlement for Northern Ireland and
believe the warring nationalists should be included in the discussions
if they give up violence.
	The Guardian poll found that 59 percent of those questioned believed
Sinn Fein or the IRA should be included in talks. Fifteen percent of
that total said the groups should be included automatically while 44
percent said they should participate only after they renounce violence.
	A strong minority -- 26 percent -- said neither Sinn Fein nor the IRA
should be included in talks under any circumstances.
	The unionist parties in Northern Ireland have been adamant in their
opposition to Sinn Fein or IRA participation in any talks on the future
of the province. The British government, too, has opposed their
participation but has signaled a more flexible approach recently.
	Major, in his joint declaration with Reynolds, said those wanting to
advance the cause of peace should renounce violence and once that
occurred, ``new doors could open and both governments would wish to
respond imaginatively to the new situation which would arise.''
	The survey Wednesday found most residents of the British mainland
appear comfortable with a solution in which Northern Ireland would leave
the United Kingdom.
	Only 18 percent of those participating in the poll said Northern
Ireland should remain a part of the United Kingdom over the long term.
Most said the province should should have a separate status, but there
were wide differences of opinion about what political shape it should
take.
	Twenty-three percent said Northern Ireland should become a separate
state, 17 percent said there should be joint Irish-British sovereignty
over the province and 16 percent said it should be unified with Ireland.