McGuinness peacemaker

Sunday Mirror, Jul 6, 2008

DEPUTY First Minister Martin McGuinness has told warring Iraqi factions talking is the only way to peace.

Mr McGuinness is part of a Northern Ireland delegation in Iraq in a bid to get Sunni and Shia factions to sign up to a commitment to non-violence similar to the Mitchell Principles used in Northern Ireland.

It includes an undertaking to engage in peaceful negotiations and the disbandment of all paramilitary groups.

However, the negiotations suffered a blow yesterday when Shia hardliners refused to accept a clause in the Helsinki 2 agreement calling for armed groups to disband.

Mr McGuinness said: "The issue of arms and how ours were put beyond use was a highly vexed issue hitting all sorts of raw nerves. But we in Sinn Fein and the leadership of Sinn Fein had the courage to step out in front."

Although Mr McGuinness said he was optimistic about the outcome of the talks he warned it was very much "early days".

He added: "We have come to encourage them, to give them moral support, and to say that the world is watching."