Lyttle: Haass talks must produce solutions on all issues under discussion

Alliance East Belfast MLA Chris Lyttle has said that the talks process being led by Dr Richard Haass must produce solutions on all the issues under discussion. He was speaking ahead of an Alliance delegation meeting with Dr Haass.

Chris Lyttle MLA said: “These talks must produce solutions on all the issues

under discussion. There must not be any attempt to push forward agreement on

one issue while leaving the others on the shelf. The First Minister must raise

his ambition for everyone in Northern Ireland after he claimed that it would be

easier to find a solution on parades than flags and it would be easier to find

a solution on flags than the past.

“The issues of flags, parades and the past are interlinked. We will not be able

to reach long term and permanent solutions to these issues if we do not attempt

to find agreement on a way forward on all three, and one which establishes

clearly the principles which underpin a shared and integrated future.

“I believe there is a growing momentum across society for politicians to agree

a comprehensive process to deal with the legacy of the past. Some people

believe that focusing on the past is counterproductive; however, we have seen

over the last year that the past will not simply fade away but continue to shape

the present and our future. Alliance believes that dealing with our past with

sensitivity and integrity is key to reconciliation and building a shared

future.

“The talks are reaching a crucial stage. They must produce ambitious steps

forward if they are to fulfil the desires of the public. Tinkering at the edges

is not enough. Given the many disputes and outbreaks of public disorder that

have been caused by disagreement over these issues, people want a

transformation in the political approach to resolving them.

“Whatever proposals are put forward at the end of the process, they must be

long term, we cannot continue to put temporary sticking plasters over such

important issues.”

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