The Belfast Agreement (or Good Friday Agreement) was signed by the British
and Irish governments and all the political parties that participated
in the talks process. The full text of the agreement and other relevant
sites are listed here.
Official Version - Full Text
An unofficial, but simplified language version is available at the
NI Site.
During the week leading up to the agreement's signing, Senator Mitchell
produced what became known as the Mitchell
draft. Comparing the Mitchell draft with the Final Agreement may
provide insights into the negotiation process during that final week.
The letter from Tony Blair to David
Trimble during the final hours is seen as a crucial element in allowing
Trimble to sign up to the agreement.
There were two articles on the Newshound comparing the draft
with the final.
The Belfast Agreement: who won
and who lost: by Ed Moloney for the Sunday Tribune
&
Major gains for Unionists in final
days: by Gary Kent for the Belfast Newsletter and Fortnight
Magazine
Lawyer Austen Morgan had two articles published in the Belfast
Telegraph regarding the legal aspects of the Agreement:
The Agreement - is it legal?, September 26, 1998 & David Trimble and the D-word, October 10, 1998.
There was also a series of 5 articles by John McGarry, Brendan O'Leary
and Christopher McCrudden for the Sunday
Business Post to help explain the Agreement.
- Part 1 never made available on the web
- Dance
of the ministries (Part 2)
- All-Ireland
bodies at work (Part 3)
- Equality
and social justice (Part 4)
- The
heart of the agreement: a bi-national future with double protection
(Part 5)
The changes to the Irish constitution are also on the web the Referendum
Commission's site. The referenda was held - north and south - on
Friday, May 22. For a detailed presentation of the result see The
REFERENDUM RESULT: The Irish Times
Special internet supplements produced by newspapers since the agreement
was signed:
