Northern Ireland: Conflict and Conflict Resolution

THE STRAIGHTFORWARD SOLUTIONS TO THE NORTHERN IRELAND PROBLEM - A UNITED IRELAND OR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE STATUS QUO, WHETHER BY CONTINUING DIRECT RULE OR SETTING UP A NEW DEVOLVED ADMINISTRATION - ARE BASED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT ONE OR OTHER OF THE TWO COMMUNITIES CAN BE PERSUADED OR COERCED INTO ABANDONING ITS HISTORIC IDENTITY AND ALLEGIANCE. BUT IT IS PRECISELY BECAUSE BOTH COMMUNITIES HAVE SHOWN THEMSELVES TO BE SO RESILIENT IN MAINTAINING THEIR SEPARATE IDENTITIES THAT THE PROBLEM IS SO INTRACTABLE. BOTH IN BRITAIN AND IN IRELAND INCREASING ATTENTION IS NOW BEING PAID TO A FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF BOTH COMMUNITIES CAN BE PRESERVED. THIS ARTICLE EXAMINES THE ANGLO-IRISH AGREEMENT - A DOCUMENT SIGNED BY THE BRITISH AND IRISH GOVERNMENTS IN NOVEMBER 1985 IN AN ATTEMPT TO FORMALIZE IMPLEMENTATION OF AMICABLE GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.