Tony Blair speaks on the first day of the three-day Good Friday Agreement 25th Anniversary Conference at Queen' University Belfast Photo: NIALL CARSON /AFP
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) should return to Stormont and accept Rishi Sunak's new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland, former Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Monday.
“Deep down you know what to do right, and you just have to get down to business and do it" Mr Blair said at an event at Queen's University Belfast with former US President Bill Clinton marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
Hillary Clinton, Bertie Ahern, the former prime minister of Ireland, and George Mitchell, the senator who helped negotiate the peace deal, also called for a return to power-sharing on the day the 1998 deal's sponsors were reunited.
Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said the unions needed to «shake it up» to restore the devolved government that was established under the Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago.
Mr Blair said: «We know that the world is not perfect. We know that institutions have often been unstable and unstable, as they are today. We know that there is still a lot of mistrust and mistrust between communities.
"But we also know that Northern Ireland is a lot better than it was before the Good Friday Agreement.»
The DUP boycotted the Northern Ireland Assembly for over 14 months after Brexit at the Irish Sea border, rendering it powerless to respond to NHS issues and the cost of living crisis.
DUP 'not satisfied'
Unionists are not satisfied with the new Windsor Framework deal agreed by Mr Sunak and the EU in February because they don't believe it is doing enough to protect Northern Ireland's place in the UK.
“You can have any technical agreement you want, but if the spirit is not sitting next to you, it will never work,”" Mr. Blair spoke of peace talks that have largely ended 30 years of conflict.
Jonathan Powell, Blair's former chief of staff, said the current stalemate was caused by Brexit, which saw «a carriage and horses» delivered via Stormont.
" ;DUP didn't say no (Windsor Framework), they are still considering it. I hope they will say yes and we will get the institutions up and running.” He said.
Sir Geoffrey Donaldson, the leader of the DUP, who faces a tough local election next month, said he had a «useful exchange» with President Clinton, who said leaders must «flap their wings» to bring about peace in 1998. But he refused a quick return to Stormont.
“Northern Ireland is a divided society. We have to lay the foundations right. Quick fixes without a solid foundation will do a disservice to those trying to make institutions work.” he said.
Billions of American Investment
Last week, US President Joe Biden used a speech in Belfast to offer trade unionists the prospect of billions in US investment if they compromise and return to the Assembly.
Ms. Clinton, a former presidential candidate and Secretary of State, urged Northern Ireland politicians to break the deadlock with «the same spirit of unstoppable firmness and determination.» that the Troubles are over.
She said the Windsor Agreement is «the way forward» for Northern Ireland, as the agreement gives the region unique dual access to the UK and EU markets.
Mitchell, 89, who chaired the Good Friday talks and traveled to Belfast despite battling leukemia, urged Northern Ireland politicians to compromise, courage and foresight.
«We need people who believe and know that the possible exists in the impossible,» he warned, «don't let it slip away.»
«Let's hope they [DUP] listen to what George Mitchell said today and listen to what we have to say and we'll all just get back on track,” said Mr Ahern, a former taoiseach.
'Too many important things to argue about some detail that was caused by this or that, that I'm not even sure what it is."
< p>Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Irish leader Leo Varadkar and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are due to attend the conference later this week.
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