SINN FEIN NEWS > > >>>>>>> Letter issued to party leaders by the two governments > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > This sets out the two governments' proposals necessary to secure > full implementation of the Agreement by June 2001, in addition to > those already set out in our statement. The letter is dated 5 > May 2000 > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > RIGHTS, SAFEGUARDS AND EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY > > As has already been announced, incorporation of the EHCR > [European Convention on Human Rights] into British and Irish > domestic law will take effect from October 2000. The British > Government has already invited the Northern Ireland Human Rights > Commission to advise on the scope for defining rights > supplementary to the Convention. > > Under the legislation which came into effect in January, all > designated public authorities in Northern Ireland will begin to > have equality schemes in place from 1 July 2000. > > The Irish Commission on Human Rights will be established by the > Irish Government in July 2000, so that the Joint Committee of > both Human Rights Commissions required under the Agreement will > therefore be established by the end of July 2000. > > Both Governments will continue to take measures and develop > programmes to support the victims of violence and their families. > > The British Government will ratify the Council of Europe Charter > on Regional or Minority Languages by September 2000 and publish > within six months an action plan for implementing the charter. > Technical discussions on the steps required further to extend TG4 > reception in Northern Ireland will continue. Other measures will > also be taken including a two year Irish language TV and film > production pilot scheme which will start by April 2001. > > > SECURITY > > The British Government will progressively take all the necessary > steps to secure as early return as possible to normal security > arrangements in Northern Ireland, consistent with the level of > threat. It will report regularly on the steps taken and will > consult with the Irish Government, and the political parties as > appropriate, on measures necessary to respond to any continuing > paramilitary activity. > > In particular, both Governments will continue to oppose with > resolute and determined action any group that uses or threatens > violence to disrupt the peace process, taking whatever measures > within the law are justified by the threat. > > > POLICING AND JUSTICE > > Legislation to implement the Patten report will, subject to > Parliament, be enacted by November 2000. The new Policing Board > will be appointed in January 2001 and will assume it > responsibilities in April 2001. A new independent police > recruitment agency will be established, and the first process for > recruits to join the Police Service of Northern Ireland will > start in April 2001. > > The British Government has already announced a six month > consultation process on the Criminal Justice Review to end in > September, so the Government will announce its decisions on > implementation in October 2000. Legislation, and a detailed > timetable for implementation, will be published by April 2001. > > > PRISONERS > > It is intended that, in accordance with the Good Friday > Agreement, all remaining prisoners qualifying for early release > will be released by 28 July 2000. Measures will continue to be > taken to facilitate the reintegration of prisoners into the > community, and to address related issues. > > We are writing in similar terms to the leaders of other Parties > represented in the Assembly, and of the UDP. > > > Signed: > > TONY BLAIR BERTIE AHERN > > > > > > c. RM Distribution and others. Articles may be reprinted with credit. > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > RM Distribution > Irish Republican News and Information > http://irlnet.com/rmlist/ > > PO Box 160, Galway, Ireland Phone/Fax: (353)1-6335113 > PO Box 8630, Austin TX 78713, USA mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > > > RMD1000506070823p2 >
