Nationalists and Unionists in Northern Ireland have reached a historic deal on a shared way into a future that is not going to be easy. But it has as its cardinal rule that any change must emerge from democratic consent within the rule of law. That makes it a landmark for Northern Ireland and a beacon for other countries struggling to emerge from intractable conflict.
The agreement to devolve policing and justice to the Stormont coalition "“ reached after 10 days of tense brinkmanship "“ is the last brick in the wall of the power-sharing pact that has gradually brought peace and stability to the north. The 1998 Good Friday agreement was the breakthrough; the 2006 St Andrews agreement tried to nail it down; and last week's deal now simply has to deliver.
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