布莱尔首相演讲Northern Ireland.docVIP

Transcript by the Prime Minister and Taoiseach for Internet broadcast on Northern Ireland, 20/04/00 Prime Minister I want to talk today about a subject on which Ive probably spent almost as much time as anything else since I became Prime Minister - the efforts to find a fair and lasting peace for Northern Ireland. I am also delighted that the Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, who is sitting with me here in Downing Street, has agreed to join me on this weeks webcast. It is, I suppose, a practical recognition of how closely our two Governments have worked together ever since the peace process started. Certainly Ive worked more closely with the Taoiseach and spent far more time with him than I have with any other Prime Minister as we try to play our part in delivering a peaceful and prosperous future for all the people of Northern Ireland. Of course, we are not there yet. But, on the second anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, its important to remember the real progress that has been made. Its progress which has made a real and practical difference in many different ways already to the lives of the people of Northern Ireland. Yes, there are still unacceptable acts of violence but the overall level of violence is as low as many people can remember. For the first time in 30 years, there are no regular soldiers stationed on the streets of Belfast The city, largely freed of the threat of violence and terrorism, is as vibrant as any in Europe. Theres a real sense of optimism about Northern Irelands economic prospects. And theres been progress, too, on human rights and tackling inequality and discrimination. Not for the first time, of course, in this process we have real problems to overcome. But we should not forget what the progress made means to the people of Northern Ireland. And its why, when people say that the Good Friday Agreement is over, they have got it badly wrong. For its only through the full implementation of the Agreement that we can deli