Hillsborough Agreement no international role model

international | miscellaneous | press release Wednesday March 10, 2010 09:05 by Republican Sinn Féin - International Bureau irish-solidarity at gmx dot net

Republican Sinn Féin confronts statement by Basque political leader

The Hillsborough Agreement is no international role model to solve national conflicts, Dieter Blumenfeld, press officer of the Republican Sinn Féin International Relations Bureau said.

In a statement issued on March 8th Blumenfeld responds to a statement made by the leader of the Basque national liberation movement Batasuna, Arnaldo Otegi. Otegi wrote in a message to the Provisionals Ard Fheis in Dublin last Sunday, March 7th, that the Basques should use the methods which were ‘successful’ in Ireland. According to Otegi, only this would bring a ‘peaceful solution’ to the Basque country. The Basque politician said: ‘The success of the Hillsborough Agreement shows that the roadmap works.’

Blumenfeld, spokes person of RSF International Bureau, said in response to Otegi: ‘The Hillsborough Agreement once again showed that the Provisionals are willing to administer British rule in Ireland and nothing else. It has neither brought us closer to a united Ireland nor to peace. The only roadmap they are following is the British roadmap to strengthen their occupation of Ireland.’

‘Otegi once more steps into his role as international cheerleader of the cul-de-sac the Provisionals follow for the last 25 years’, Blumenfeld said. In summer 2008 Otegi addressed a rally in the Basque country saying ‘there are no political prisoners in Ireland any more’.

Blumenfeld continued: ‘Otegi is blinded by the lies that are told by the Provisionals. We urge the Basque people not to follow this path. It brought no solution to Ireland and it will bring no solution to the Basque country.’

‘The only viable solution for both Ireland and the Basque country is a federal, independent, democratic-socialist republic as outlined in the political document Éire Nua. Republican Sinn Féin offers to discuss the situation in the occupied 6 Counties with all national liberation movements worldwide. We are willing to provide every international organisation with our alternative to British occupation in Ireland which is Éire Nua’, Blumenfeld said.

Críoch/Ends.