AFTER some of the Unionists stormed away from the Northern Ireland peace talks following a fall out among themselves, we were left thinking: This is where we came in a quarter of a century ago.

The same blinkered, bigoted approach that has dashed hopes of peace in Northern Ireland time and again is still present.

The latest fall out is about who chairs the talks.

Apparently former US senator George Mitchell is "too Irish" for the Unionists. As he can trace back his ancestors south of the Ulster border he has to be treated with suspicion.

And although Ulster Unionists leader David Trimble finally agreed to Mr Mitchell, the Rev Ian Paisley, the Democratic Unionist chief, accused him of breaking a pact and doing a behind-the-doors deal.

What utter nonsense. The vast majority of people in this troubled province want peace.

They have experienced 25 years of bombings, shootings, cold-blooded executions and riots. They have learned to fear a knock on the door at night. Some of the younger ones have never known peace.

They care little for the ancestry of the man who will chair the talks.

The people of Northern Ireland enjoyed those few short months of peace brought about by the IRA cease fire. They want to experience it again, on a permanent basis.

The Unionists and Republicans must put hundreds of years of hatred behind them and give the people what they want most...peace in their time.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.