United Ireland

BELFAST, Northern Ireland -- A militant Free Presbyterian preacher and a former leader of the Irish Republican Army were sworn in as the joint heads of a new government in Northern Ireland yesterday in a move to conclude more than 30 years of conflict between Protestants loyal to Britain and Catholics who fought for a united Ireland. The two still-suspicious new government leaders did not single out each other in the giddy handshakes shared among the new Northern Irish officials. But as the Rev. Ian Paisley of the Democratic Unionist Party and Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein took their oaths, both sides hailed the day as the final end of the Troubles that took more than 3,500 lives between 1969 and 2001.

BELFAST, Northern Ireland -- The arduous task of gaining support for Northern Ireland's peace deal had its first success yesterday when an executive committee of the province's largest political party backed the plan in a contentious five-hour meeting.Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble quashed a rebellion and emerged triumphant after the delegates voted 55-23 to accept the pact that seeks to build a new political path for Northern Ireland to end 30 years of bloodshed.But the deal has infuriated many in the Protestant-dominated party who don't want to alter Northern Ireland's ties to Britain.

LONDON - Britain temporarily suspended Northern Ireland's fledgling power-sharing government yesterday in a bid to buy time, keep the peace between Catholic and Protestant factions, and break a deadlock over disarming the Irish Republican Army. Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid said the suspension - effective at midnight - could "last possibly 24 hours" as he restarted the clock on Northern Ireland's peace process. The local government was expected to be back in business by tomorrow, and parties representing majority Protestants and minority Roman Catholics will have six more weeks to resolve their differences over such emotive issues as IRA arms and police reforms.

LONDON -- Northern Ireland's stalled peace process regained momentum yesterday with former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell saying local parties can resolve the deadlock on handing over terrorist arms and establishing a local government. Sounding a note of optimism after 10 weeks of talks designed to implement the 1998 Good Friday peace accord, Mitchell, the chief mediator, appeared to be setting the stage for a series of small but important political steps in the British-run province.

BELFAST, Northern Ireland -- Decades of bloodshed and division gave way to ceremony and history yesterday as Northern Ireland's newly empowered Cabinet met for the first time.The ministers immediately began the arduous task of creating local government and cementing peace in the British province. From reshaping society to restoring the economy -- everything but taxation, criminal justice and security -- local politicians now are in charge of a land where majority Protestants and minority Roman Catholics have struggled over civil rights and national identity.

It was the summer of 1974.I looked down at Belfast from a window of the much-bombed Europa Hotel -- the "most bombed hotel in the world" -- and watched a nightmare: hijacked buses burning; gunfire echoing along the streets; sirens blaring. Somewhere down there, I had ++ an appointment. Men who were thinking about killing me were looking for me.The night before, in the upstairs room of a pub that belonged to one of the paramilitary groups, they had argued loudly about whether I was a spy for "the other side."

LONDON -- With its troubled past, complex issues and combative leaders, Northern Ireland often leaves outsiders perplexed. The British province once again faces a turning point as its leaders try to forestall the collapse of a local government and end a stalemate over disarming paramilitary forces, reforming the local police, and scaling back Britain's military presence. Part of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland's six counties share a 303-mile border with the southern Irish republic.

LONDON - With a peace deal at stake and his political career on the line, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble backed yesterday his party's return to a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland. But in a play for time and votes, Trimble, Northern Ireland's leading pro-British Protestant politician, postponed from tomorrow until May 27 a pivotal ballot by the party's 860-strong ruling council to re-enter the local government. The delay forced Britain to scrap plans to restore home rule in Northern Ireland on Monday.

MARTIN O'Malley expected to be asked about this one day - whether his recent collegial encounters with the British government (a trip to London for a speech in October 2003, and again last week for a consultation with municipal officials) conflict with his deep-seated belief in the end of British control and the creation of a unified Ireland. In statement and in song over the years, as a brash Baltimore city councilman condemning the appearance of a royal regiment at the Baltimore Arena 12 years ago and as lead singer in his Celtic rock band singing "Give Ireland Back to the Irish," O'Malley has cried out for freedom for Northern Ireland and recalled the long history of British occupation.

LONDON -- British Prime Minister John Major won't let the Northern Ireland peace effort die without a fight.Last night, he gave Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, another chance to rejoin a peace process battered by Friday's IRA bombing in east London that killed two and injured dozens."