Irish peace deal not a guarantee: Mitchell

DURHAM, May 24: Former US Senator George Mitchell, who chaired the Northern Ireland peace talks, said yesterday that he had expected voters to approve the agreement but cautioned that more violence is inevitable. quot;I believed all along that the people of Ireland, North and South, will approve this agreement,quot; Mitchell said, after learning of the overwhelming vote in favor of the pact and before delivering the commencement speech at the University of New Hampshire.

quot;By itself, this agreement will not create peace and stability. This only provides the means to achieve peace and security,quot; said Mitchell, who served as chairman of the International Commission on Disarmament in Northern Ireland for two years. The accord was finalised on April 10, and the Irish voted on the proposal on Friday. He did not discount the possibility of more violence that has resulted in thousands of deaths in the past 30 years.

quot;Probably, inevitablyquot; more violence will occur, he said. He also warned that some Irish who get involvedin the Assembly, which will be created through the June elections, might quot;be part of the process to wreck the process.quot;

But he said he was quot;hopeful, cautiously optimistic.quot; quot;The people there understand they are choosing between the future and the past,quot; he said. quot;There comes a time when you have to look to the future.quot;

He also said he was asked to continue his involvement in the peace process and to serve on a supervisory committee, but declined, saying he had pressing issues in the United States. quot;I simply couldn8217;t do it,quot; he said.