About McGuinness and the Peace Process

This interesting article appeared at Times On Line:

Europe

The Times

June 16, 2006

Brother in arms now a midwife of peace

By David Sharrock

Martin McGuinness finds parallels in the situations in Northern Ireland and northern Spain

THERE was a time when Martin McGuinness was proud to call himself an IRA man who would not stop fighting until Britain declared it was leaving Ireland for good.

But there was a very different Martin McGuinness on show in the Basque Country of northern Spain this week: a charming, witty fellow explaining the benefits of the Irish peace process. He even admitted to a relationship with Tony Blair intimate enough for the two of them to discuss the Eta ceasefire together.

When presented with a makila — a ceremonial Basque walking staff that conceals a metal spike — he quipped that he would have to hand it over to General John de Chastelain, the decommissioning chief, on his return to Belfast.

You can read the rest of the article here.

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