Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan issued a simple message to political leaders in Northern Ireland today: 'Devolution works'.
As the British government intensified its push to secure a power-sharing settlement by its November 24th deadline, he became the second high profile campaigner brought in to champion the cause.
After Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell heralded the benefits during a visit to Belfast in May, Mr Morgan spent nearly an hour addressing members of the suspended Stormont Assembly.
He emphatically rejected suggestions that he could guide Northern Ireland MLAs on how to do their jobs.
"I'm not here to give advice to the politicians," he said. "That is entirely a matter for those elected by the people of Northern Ireland."
But with Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain giving the divided parties a blunt warning that if they failed to make a deal by the deadline it was likely to be 2009 before the British and Irish governments mounted a fresh initiative, Mr Morgan extolled life since Welsh devolution.
Unemployment has dropped while shortening hospital waiting lists have been one aspect of an improving health service, he said.
"It has increased our national self-confidence and has developed a greater trust."
Despite the successes, he refused to back any calls for tax-raising powers to be granted to his Assembly.
"I think it would be a betrayal of those people who voted for the Welsh Assembly in the referendum almost exactly nine years ago," he said.
"We promised them this was not going to be a tax-raising body."