La notizia sull'
Irish Independent
Paisley says Yes
DUP chief signals he is now ready to share power with Sinn Fein
DUP leader Ian Paisley yesterday for the first time signalled he is prepared to share power with Sinn Fein in the North.
His historic shift dramatically paved the way for an unprecedented deal with his traditional political enemies as part of a roadmap to restore devolved government.
It helped set in train a chain reaction which could within five months have the hardline Paisley operating as First Minister, with Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness at his side as Deputy First Minister.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair last night held out the possibility that a fully functioning power sharing executive could be in place by March 26.
But that can happen only if the parties are prepared to follow a series of carefully choreographed moves on policing and sharing power.
However, the previously unthinkable link-up between the DUP and Sinn Fein is firmly on the cards.
Both Dr Paisley and Mr McGuinness are due to be nominated for the respective posts as early as November 24.
Provided all parties sign up, they will take office from March 26.
After a series of extraordinary twists at St Andrews in Scotland, the deal suddenly became possible following three days of intensive talks which had seemed to be heading for collapse.
The DUP leader is understood to have given clear signals to both governments that he will not oppose the deal.
His body language, publicly and privately, has sparked renewed hope the DUP will support it.
In a behind-the-scenes comment as the talks concluded, he told government ministers he believed this was "a historic day for the whole island of Ireland and the UK" and was "a great day for democracy".
He said publicly afterwards: "We will meet the requirements but IRA/Sinn Fein have also to meet those requirements.
"When they do, then we will really be on the way to peace for our people and a good future for every child born in Northern Ireland."
The deal on the table is still just a set of proposals from both governments which the parties have yet to sign up to.
But Mr Ahern and Mr Blair believe they form the basis for a lasting accord.
Mr Ahern said: "I believe we have all the elements needed to bring satisfaction on all of the issues. It is not perfect by everybody's agenda, but there is a fair and sustainable balance to see that by March we have power-sharing and acceptance of the rule of law."
Mr Blair said some of the parties would not be 'comfortable' sitting in government with those they had been hostile towards.
But he said everyone had to sign up to have "full support" for the deal.
In return for his agreement to share power, Dr Paisley will await Sinn Fein's decision - probably at a special Ard-Fheis - to support the police force (PSNI).
The blueprint could bring an end to the long drawn-out process of trying to resurrect the Northern institutions, which have been suspended for four years.
The timetable would provide for devolved government by March, following on a series of measures running from later this month, through November.
It would also take account of an important International Monitoring Commission (IMC) report in January.
All these landmarks being successfully negotiated, it will be on to the final leg and the institutions being fully operational from the end of March.
There could also be an All-Ireland referendum on the deal, though this has yet to be decided.
Gene McKenna