George Mitchell May Be Key for Ulster

All the parties involved in the Northern Ireland conflict, seemingly so close to historic talks on the future of the province just four months ago, have now reached an impasse. And not British Prime Minister John Major, Irish Prime Minister John Bruton or Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams or any other Northern Ireland politician has been able to restart the process.

Where is the middle ground, a voice to sound the advance? Why not George Mitchell, the former U.S. Senate leader from Maine who led a mediation effort that early this year came within a whisker, some say, of getting talks started?

The talk about talks collapsed in January over the issue of preconditions. The British generally ignored the recommendations in the Mitchell report and instead proposed elections to create a body for the talks. The Irish Republican Army then discarded its self-proclaimed cease-fire, bombing a London dockyard.

If the IRA is to resume its cease-fire, which appears to be a requirement for moving the process back on track, it can be argued that only Mitchell, with the help of Adams, can make it happen.

For discussions scheduled to begin June 10, Mitchell could preside over the opening plenary session and chair the subcommittee on decommissioning of arms. Perhaps he could play a bigger role in dialogue between Ulster and Ireland. The American seems to be the person best prepared to bridge the quagmire, diplomatically helping those who somehow cannot help themselves. Belfast, London and Dublin should think about it.