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ryte heres ma 1st essay all finished jus need sum1 2 read it thro now
What are the similarities and differences between: The Sunningdale Agreement and The Good Friday Agreement?
There are many differences between the Sunningdale Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement and fewer similarities. I will start this essay by firstly outlining the similarities between the Sunningdale Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement, I will then comment on the differences between the two agreements.
The similarities between the Sunningdale Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement are basically the first two points mentioned in the Sunningdale Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement- the first point is that both governments agreed to seeing up a Northern Ireland assembly, which was to be represented by proportional representatives from both the catholic and protestant communities. The second point is, that there would be a council in Westminster with representatives from Northern Ireland (representatives from both the catholic and protestants communities would be included). The only difference in these points is that in the Good Friday Agreement London wasn’t included whereas it is in the Sunningdale Agreement.
There are many differences between the Sunningdale Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement, the most obvious is that they were both written under very different circumstances, the Sunningdale Agreement was written at a time of great political pressure, it was written as a result to Bloody Sunday, internment and other problems that had risen in the immediate time before 1973. It was written as a quick fix solution to what where the current problems in Northern Ireland at the time. Whereas the Good Friday Agreement was written after months of discussions between all sides (which is probably why the Good Friday Agreement lasted for much longer that the Sunningdale Agreement). It was written at a time of ceasefire, which helped make it more productive as it wasn’t rushed.
The other differences between the two peace attempts are the rest of the points on the Good Friday Agreement, (they are not mentioned in the Sunningdale Agreement). The points are as follow:
A council of the British Isles was to be established to promote the mutual development of the islands of the British Isles. Including Scotland, Ireland, Wales, IOM and the Channel Islands.
Recognize that the people of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland must both agree by separate referenda, to a United Ireland by majority consent before it can take place.
The Republic of Ireland is to give up its constitutional claim to Northern Ireland.
All paramilitary organizations, in particular the IRA, UVF and UDA must hand all their arms to an independent body within 2 years of implementation (this was the decommissioning of arms)
The RUC police force is to be made more cross community to reflect the make up of Northern Ireland.
The release of prisoners convicted of terrorist offences.
After taking all of these factors into account I have come to the inevitable conclusion that there are many more differences between the two peace attempts than there are similarities, this is probably because of the different situations they were both written in (as I have explained above).
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