The former Northern Ireland talks chairman, Senator George Mitchell, has ruled out any involvement in future negotiations. He said local politicians were fully capable of overcoming existing problems. Speaking at Antrim Area Hospital, where he was opening a £5 million renal unit, Mr Mitchell said Northern Ireland could take pride in its progress. "I do not envisage any future role for myself. The political leaders of Northern Ireland are fully capable of dealing with their own circumstances, hard as it is for them. I think the budget and the actions of the Assembly represent positive movements to wards self-governance, and the people of Northern Ireland are to take pride in that."
Internationally, Northern Ireland was viewed as a remarkable success story, he said.
"Admittedly, it [the peace process] is imperfect. Admittedly, a lot needs to be done, but if you contrast the situation here with that of other countries, one can fairly say the political leaders of Northern Ireland deserve great credit for the progress they have made and for their continuing efforts to move towards political stability and reconciliation."