Handshake 'step toward reconciliation'

Published Thursday, 28 June 2012
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Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has described meeting the Queen as a vital step towards reconciliation in Britain and Ireland.

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Mr McGuinness was speaking at an event at the Houses of Parliament in London on Thursday evening, after his historic handshake the day before.

"National reconciliation will be built on the firm foundation of mutual respect and decisive actions," said the leading Sinn Féin politician.

"That is the context within which I met Queen Elizabeth this week. It was in a very pointed, deliberate and symbolic way of offering the hand of friendship to unionists through the person of Queen Elizabeth for which many unionists have a deep affinity.

"It is an offer I hope many will accept in the same spirit it was offered."

The self-confessed former IRA commander met the monarch at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast during her two-day Diamond Jubilee visit to Northern Ireland.

Mr McGuinness said it part of the healing process between Protestants and Catholics.

However he added that efforts to broaden the process of reconciliation were being hampered by the British government, and accused Prime Minister David Cameron of failing to fully involve himself in efforts to build peace.

He also accused the UK government of making "a series of very wrong and unhelpful decisions".

The deputy First Minister continued: "Unfortunately, to date, the British State has refused to even acknowledge its role as a combatant in the conflict.

"That position is no longer tenable as we move forward. It is insulting to victims of events like Bloody Sunday in my own city when 14 people were killed and it is insulting to people's intelligence.

"It is also excluding the British state from assisting a genuine process of national reconciliation in Ireland. A process which, though embryonic, is nevertheless under way.

"There are issues that have not been brought to a conclusion, specifically the issue of the legacy of the conflict. The British Government has a big role to play in that."

In his speech he added that his party's abstentionist MPs would be playing a new role lobbying opinion in Britain in favour of fostering reconciliation in Ireland.

He continued: "I also realise that the Ireland of 1922 is not the Ireland of 2012.

"But that does not mean that the current British Government does not have an obligation to deal with the legacy of previous governments' failures with regard to Ireland. If you continue to ignore an inherited problem you become part of the problem itself."

© UTV News
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6 Comments
maggie in north west wrote (325 days ago):
Lorraine. My view exactly. Only UTV never put any of my comments in. When SF voted to allow Martin to shake hands with the Queen, who really believes they want to reach out to the Unionist/protestant community. we wait for the marching season to see if this has any cridence. I believe when the Queen drove up to Stormont and drove back down again, this must have showen their power.This will have a good effect for them down south.They have it better than a United Ireland for they have the Unionist and British government dance to their command. They do not need to tell of the atrocities they were responsible for but demand inquiries from the British.This is North of Ireland.Republican style
Sammy Jo Reilly in Ligoniel wrote (326 days ago):
Oh God Everyone Just Needs To Move On About The Queen And Martin McGuiness We All Want Peace And Calminess Who Really Cares About Them Shaking Hands Likes
J in Downpatrick wrote (326 days ago):
BLA BLA BLA Martin. your not getting my vote anymore.
Lorraine Simpson in Belfast wrote (326 days ago):
What utter rubbish! Utter shame on the media who have been sic kingly hyping this shallow political/propaganda gesture. It means nothing to the Unionist people! This handshake was the final act of subjugation by Republicans – THAT IS THE REAL STORY WHY IS THAT NOT BENG PRINTED!
Ryan in Belfast wrote (327 days ago):
Martin is absolutey correct, the British Goverment must play a greater role in helping to transform the relationship between Ireland and Britain and that means that the British Goverment has to be open, direct and honest about its wrong doings in Ireland, especially during the troubles. Those wrong-doings, which included collusion with Loyalist death squads that were responsible for the murder of hundreds of innocent Catholics. But the only way for their to be a lasting peace between Britain and Ireland is for the reunification of Ireland under Irish rule and that wont happen until Irish Catholics are in the majority, which will be very soon. I dont believe those nonsense surveys about catholics wanting to stay part of the Union, their nonsense and im a Catholic myself. Good work Martin, now concentrate on getting the ROI to let Irish Citzens in the 6 counties to be able to vote in Irish Elections in ROI.
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