Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 19 Mar 1997

Vol. 476 No. 5

Written Answers - Lecture by South Africans.

Liam Aylward

Question:

29 Mr. Aylward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether the South African experience, as presented by the chief negotiators in Belfast in June 1996, the proceedings of which have been published, will have relevance to the conduct of political negotiations in Northern Ireland. [3577/97]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

We are fortunate to have been able to hear the views of a number of distinguished South African visitors on how their country's remarkable transformation was achieved. In addition to the joint lecture given in Belfast last June by Cyril Ramaphosa and Roelf Meyer, to which the question refers, interesting presentations have been given by, among others, Judge Albie Sachs, Minister Kader Asmal and Dr. Alex Boraine. Moreover, several Members of this House, including myself, were present at the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation when it was addressed by former President De Klerk in November 1995.

Each of these speakers has been at pains to emphasise that each conflict is unique and that drawing exact parallels is simplistic, though there are undoubted elements of similarity. As Cyril Ramaphosa said, "While you might learn some lessons from the experiences of others, ultimately you will have to find for yourselves the processes and solutions that suit your own situation."

Of course, there are undoubtedly technical aspects of the South African experience which offer potential guidance. The rules of procedure of the multi-party negotiations have already drawn from the South African example the concept of "sufficient consensus", although it is somewhat more tightly defined. As the Taoiseach has already stated, the adoption of a clear and realistic agreed timeframe would also be potentially valuable — as it proved to be in South Africa — and I would like to see the two Governments bring forward proposals for consideration by all the participants when the negotiations resume in June. The parties may also be able to draw useful lessons from South African views on matters such as internal consultation and the composition of delegations.

However, what comes through very clearly from accounts of the South African negotiations is the absolutely central importance of less tangible factors: courage, leadership and trust. Of the many thought-provoking points made by Roelf Meyer and Cyril Ramaphosa last June two perhaps stand out in my mind: "it was trust that finally delivered a settlement" and "the one thing that always bound us together was the belief that there is always a solution to any problem." Ultimately no solution is acheivable without the building of trust and without a determination to succeed.