BELFAST, Jan 11 (NNN-Xinhua) — The two major parties in Northern Ireland have agreed on a draft deal to restore a power-sharing government, breaking a three-year political deadlock in the region, local media reported Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The breakthrough came when Sinn Fein party agreed on a new deal put forward by the British and Irish governments to break the deadlock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two biggest parties in the devolved government, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein, agreed to accept the proposals to re-open the Stormont parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier Friday, the DUP signalled its support for the proposals announced Thursday night by Britain’s Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith and Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Later in the day, Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald announced the party was up for a return to power-sharing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomed the move which will see the Northern Ireland Assembly holding its first meeting for three years in Belfast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The power-sharing assembly is expected to select its top executive ministers when it gathers Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coveney described the breakthrough as history being made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He told reporters: “We now have confirmation from the two largest parties in Northern Ireland that they both are committed to re-entering an executive and establishing a functioning Stormont again. Of course, that is not the end of the story as we want this to be an all-party executive.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sinn Fein leader McDonald said the breakthrough was a red letter day for the Irish Language and Irish identity in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“This is not about winners or losers, this is about a society that makes room for everyone,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DUP leader Arlene Foster said the draft deal was not perfect, but was a basis upon which the assembly and executive could be re-established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The collapse of the assembly and its executive in Northern Ireland came after a major fall-out in 2017 between the DUP and Sinn Fein over a botched heating scheme. — NNN-XINHUA
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