Amanpour

TONIGHT: Sexual assault in U.S. military

Christiane speaks to two powerful women trying to change the military justice system.

Christiane speaks to two powerful women trying to change the military justice system.

What time is Amanpour on?

Check showtimes to see when the program airs on CNN where you are. Or watch online.

Check showtimes to see when the program airs on CNN where you are. Or watch online.

A handshake for old foes

June 27th, 2012
06:38 PM ET

By Mick Krever

(CNN) - Seven years after the IRA lay down its arms, its former commander has shaken hands with the British Queen.

And Gerry Adams, longtime leader of the IRA’s former political wing, Sinn Fein, was concise in describing the meeting.

“The only way you can build peace is actually to show leadership, and Martin did that,” Gerry Adams told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.

He was referring to Martin McGuinness, who met in private with the Queen before a historic public photo-op.

The Northern Irish “Troubles” spanned decades and lay waste to nearly 3,600 people in the past thirty years; they are, unsurprisingly, still alive to many people in Northern Ireland.

“There are lots of republicans who would disagree with what we’re doing,” Adams acknowledged. “But they’ll stay supporting us and they’ll stay supporting the peace process.”

Meeting with the Queen, Adams said, “was a very, very good thing to do.”

“When [Martin] shook hands with the Queen he was actually symbolically shaking hands with the hundreds of thousands of unionists.”

Adams was reluctant to offer up Ireland’s reconciliation as an example for other sectarian conflicts.

“Our island is still partitioned. We have a legacy of conflict; many outstanding issues,” he said. “I don’t think we have any right to preach or to impose or to lecture others.”

Adams, and McGuinness for that matter, is still steadfast in his belief that Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, should be part of an independent Ireland.

But to reach a point where the British Queen could meet in Northern Ireland with a former rebel leader took extraordinary effort.

“It’s easier to make war, ironically enough, than it is to make peace,” Adams said, “because there aren’t any certainties about peace processes. You have to deal with the other person who was your enemy as a human being.”

The handshake has moved Ireland and the U.K. “onto a different plane, onto a different phase in the relationship building,” he said.

“Who could refuse to talk now on the island of Ireland when these iconic figures are showing the example that they showed today?”

soundoff (5 Responses)
  1. javier

    fdf

    June 27, 2012 at 7:32 pm | Reply
  2. javier

    tele

    June 27, 2012 at 7:35 pm | Reply
  3. BAGINDA HELEN FATIMA NASARIA ABDURAJAK

    http://www.facebook.com/bagindahelen.abdurajak/posts/456186247733985?notif_t=like

    the time that needed to make a choice at the center of the crossroad. Irony but ones the decision is done then we know which is much of relevance to the people. Time to make a radical change in this world by seeing beyond the true essence of Leadership rooted in great respect and love of one another.Not solely in the power of strength coupled with nuclear weapons or strong armaments but this is the time to choose the BATTLE OF FOOD AND BASICS RIGHTS TO LIVE ACCORDINGLY AS HUMAN BEINGS away from the tyrant, greedy & corrupt political leaders who always want to control humanity through continuous arm struggles, killings and kidnappings to disrupt peace and order of our so called HOME OR DOMAIN.

    June 27, 2012 at 11:51 pm | Reply
  4. Mark

    I thought she was able to question people, she didn't mention the fact that many unionist citizens were victims of the IRA. Also Adams and his Sinn Féiners refused to meet the queen when she visited the Irish republic a year ago, in fact they protested it! Sinn Féin are always using double standards, in the south they complain about austerity but in the north they support it and just as much as the south. We shouldn't give criminals and murderers a voice on the international stage. Adams and Mc Guinness should be in the Hague if you ask me. And I'm a southern rebublican by the way.

    June 28, 2012 at 5:12 pm | Reply
  5. testdomain

    Thanks for the ideas shared on the blog. One more thing I would like to express is that fat reduction is not information on going on a dietary fad and trying to reduce as much weight as you're able in a couple of weeks. The most effective way to shed weight is by taking it slowly but surely and obeying some basic suggestions which can help you to make the most through your attempt to drop some weight. You may learn and already be following these tips, nonetheless reinforcing awareness never does any damage. testdomain http://testdomain.com

    March 17, 2013 at 9:28 am | Reply

Post a comment


 

CNN welcomes a lively and courteous discussion as long as you follow the Rules of Conduct set forth in our Terms of Service. Comments are not pre-screened before they post. You agree that anything you post may be used, along with your name and profile picture, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the license you have granted pursuant to our Terms of Service.