by Duncan James
CHAPTER FOUR – THE SEED IS SOWN
“I hardly know where to begin,” repeated Weaver, “because I hardly know where it all began.”
Sir Robin Algar shuffled uncomfortably. He hoped this wouldn’t take too long, or be a waste of time.
“But I’ll tell you straight away what I aim to achieve,” continued the Prime Minister, “and that is an end to all the nonsense surrounding Northern Ireland.”
The Cabinet Secretary heaved an inward sigh. It was going to be a waste of time. Yet another solution to ‘the problems’, he thought, as if he hadn’t heard enough of them in the past. He had imagined that Weaver would be above thinking he could resolve that particular issue.
“I believe there really is a workable solution, given good will, total secrecy, and good deal of support and loyalty from a very few people. Let’s face it, the Irish, both north and south, have been a thorn in our side for far too long now, and people are totally fed up with the situation - not just people here, but the good people over there too, on both sides of the political divide. And the situation has been a monumental strain on the Treasury for years and years, as you know, not to mention the military.”
The Prime Minister’s face was grim but determined. He looked strained.
“I know exactly what you’re thinking, Robin, and you may well end up being right,” he said. “I may end up with egg on my face, like all the others before me who believed they had found the ultimate solution.”
Sir Robin Algar nodded, and this time sighed audibly.
“I’m afraid I do think so, Prime Minister. Although of course you haven't yet spelt out any detail of your proposals, but I can see you believe America will have a major role to play - or rather, you hope they will.”
“I believe they will. My proposals for Northern Ireland will benefit America and help to solve a few problems for the US administration as well, and my job will be to persuade them of that. If they are with us, and we get the planning right, then the whole thing should not take too long at all. First, though, I must persuade you that we may not, after all, be wasting our time.”
He took a sip of his Scotch, frowning to assemble his thoughts into a logical order.
“Cast your mind back to our most recent visit to the Province. It was an unusual trip in many ways. For a start, it lacked some of the formality of earlier visits. We had a very useful informal lunch in the Officer’s Mess at the Army Headquarters in Lisburn. It was then,” continued the Prime Minister, “that I began to get a feeling of a possible way out of the mess which successive Governments, our own included, have got us into over the years. In fact, two of the people we met there first put the thought in my mind. And they damn well wouldn't have done, but for that informal setting - not least because I would probably never otherwise have met them. They were both thinking along the same lines, it seemed, although in fact they had only met a few times before I butted in on their conversation. And they both believed, from their independent and totally different backgrounds, that a solution was possible and achievable, if radical.”
“I certainly remember the lunch well,” recalled Sir Robin. “Drinks in the crowded bar first, then a self-service buffet in the dining room across the hall. A mix of people, too. Junior military officers there as well as top brass, civil servants from both MOD and the Northern Ireland Office, and a couple of junior Ministers accompanying the Secretary of State.”
“Exactly,” said Tony Weaver. “Men and women there who one would never ordinarily meet on a visit like that, and because it was a small, rather cosy Mess...”
“...Especially the bar,” interrupted Robin.
“... Yes, especially because the bar was small and intimate, it was possible to get away from the people who usual surround me, and talk informally to some very interesting people with very interesting views - convictions even.”
“Yes, I was able to do that, too,” said Sir Robin. “And like you, I found it very welcome and refreshing to get away, as you put it, from ‘the people who usually surround us’.”
“I don’t know whether you managed to speak to them yourself, but there were two individuals I remember in particular. And I will tell you now that I have spoken to them again since, privately.”