Introduction

This is a summary of the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement, produced by me for the Centre for European Policy Studies in the context of some much more wide-ranging proposals for the stabilisation of the Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and neighbouring parts of the Russian Federation). The full document is available from CEPS in English, Russian and Turkish. The Good Friday Agreement is available from the Northern Ireland Office web-site, among many other sources.

(extract from A Stability Pact for the Caucasus, CEPS Working Document No. 145, May 2000:

Annex H: Summary of the agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of Ireland, signed at Belfast, 10 April 1998

Two sovereign states: United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, both members of EU.

Sovereignty: Future sovereignty of Northern Ireland (NI), i.e. participation in either UK or Republic of Ireland) to be determined by referendum of people of NI (this is now recognised in British law and Irish constitution). Right of the people of Northern Ireland to hold Irish or British passports or both is recognised.

NI Government

1) NI Executive is accountable to a directly elected Assembly

very strong human rights safeguards and minority protections

10 ministerial departments

• Agriculture and Rural Development
• Culture, Arts and Leisure
• Education
• Enterprise, Trade and Investment
• Environment
• Finance and Personnel
• Health, Social Services and Public Safety
• Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment
• Regional Development
• Social Development

2) Northern Ireland Office (branch of UK national government) retains responsibility for constitutional and security issues, in particular law & order, policing and criminal justice policy. Also three agencies: NI Prison Service, Compensation Agency and Forensic Science Agency.

Sharing of sovereignty

1) North/South Ministerial Council - NI Executive and Irish cabinet to meet as equals.

Joint implementation of policy on:

• inland waterways
• food safety
• special EU programmes
• minority languages (i.e. Irish Gaelic and Ulster Scots)
• coastal waters
• trade and business development

• transport
• agriculture
• education
• health
• environment
• tourism

An assembly for dialogue, rather like the Balkan Stability Pact

3) British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference

regular summit meetings between British and Irish governments to discuss issues not covered by NI Executive (and thus outside N/S Council remit)

Security issues

All participants to work for paramilitary disarmament by May 2000 (!)
British government commits to reform policing and criminal justice system
Both governments commit to release prisoners

See also: The NI Executive | Useful books and links

Results from 1996 to 2001 for each seat: East Belfast | North Belfast | South Belfast | West Belfast | East Antrim | North Antrim | South Antrim | North Down | South Down | Fermanagh and South Tyrone | Foyle | Lagan Valley | East Londonderry | Mid Ulster | Newry and Armagh | Strangford | West Tyrone | Upper Bann

Surveys of each recent election: 2004 European | 2003 Assembly | 2001 Westminster | 2001 local govt | 2000 S Antrim | 1999 European | 1998 Assembly | 1997 local govt | 1997 Westminster | 1996 Forum | 1995 N Down | 1994 European | 1993 local govt | 1992 Westminster | 1989 European | 1989 local govt | 1987 Westminster | 1986 by-elections | 1985 local govt | 1984 European | 1983 Westminster | 1982 Assembly | 1981 local govt | 1979 European | 1979 Westminster | 1977 local govt | 1975 Convention | Oct 1974 Westminster | Feb 1974 Westminster | 1973 Assembly | 1973 local govt | Summary of all Northern Ireland elections since 1973 | Brief summary of election results 1997-2003

Historical pieces: Westminster elections 1885-1910 | The 1918 election | Dáil elections since 1918 | Westminster elections since 1920 | Senate of Southern Ireland 1921 | Irish Senate elections in 1925 | Northern Ireland House of Commons | Northern Ireland Senate | The 1973 and 1975 referendums

Other sites based at ARK: ORB (Online Research Bank) | CAIN (Conflict Archive on the INternet) | Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey

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Your comments, please! Send an email to me at nicholas.whyte@gmail.com. Nicholas Whyte, 14 January 2001; modified 17 February 2002