Good Friday Agreement - 20th anniversary

Summary

Former US president Bill Clinton is in Northern Ireland to mark the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement
The agreement helped bring an end to 30 years of sectarian conflict, known as the Troubles
Key players involved in the deal - including ex prime ministers Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern - are also in Belfast
Former US Senator George Mitchell, who chaired the talks, says NI still has far to travel

Live Reporting

Adams optimistic on power sharingpublished at 13:36 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
Gerry Adams said the "institutions will be back in place". Speaking at Queen's, the former Sinn Féin leader said: "The Good Friday Agreement remains the accord which is going to guide politics on this island and arrangements on this island and relationships on this island into the foreseeable future."
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GFA flashback: Bill Clinton in Belfastpublished at 13:30 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
For all you need to know about the Good Friday Agreement - read more here.
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Bill Clinton in Belfast
What the papers said - at the timepublished at 13:27 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
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Mitchell 'hopeful' of Stormont's returnpublished at 13:24 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
"Although I'm an American and proud of it, always will be, a large part of my heart and emotions are and always will here with the people of Northern Ireland I love this place," said former US senator George Mitchell.
He was speaking to the BBC outside Queen's University in Belfast, where he will be giving a speech later.
He said he was "very hopeful" that power-sharing would be restored adding that people "deserve peace and prosperity and genuine reconciliation".
Where have the years gone?published at 13:15 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
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Trimble: St Andrews 'didn't help GFA deal'published at 13:09 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
The former First Minister Lord Trimble says the 2006 St Andrews agreement "certainly didn't help" the Good Friday peace deal.
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Former First Minister David Trimble (pictured 1999)
He told BBC'S Talkback programme the St Andrews deal "didn't help the political process in NI, in fact it has deteriorated because of it".
Growing up with peacepublished at 13:05 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
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Style etiquettepublished at 13:02 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
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Children of the Good Friday Agreementpublished at 12:56 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
On the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, BBC News NI asks people who were born around that time how much they know about the deal.
Media caption,
Do you know what the Good Friday Agreement is?
The stage is set... or is it?published at 12:54 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
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May reflects on Good Friday Agreementpublished at 12:52 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
Prime Minister Theresa May has called on everyone to "redouble their efforts" to restore devolution to Northern Ireland on the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
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Theresa May reflects on Good Friday Agreement
Mrs May released a video from Downing Street.
Adams: Signing GFA 'right thing to do'published at 12:50 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
Former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams says he knew "at an emotional level" that signing the Good Friday Agreement 20 years ago was the right thing to do.
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Former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams (pictured in 1999)
Mr Adams told BBC's Talkback that "peacemaking isn't about one event. It's a process and every day you have to be a part of that process and work at it."
DUP 'right to oppose agreement'published at 12:46 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
Former DUP leader Peter Robinson, speaking in Belfast, said he was "right to oppose" the Good Friday Agreement.
"Most people when they talk about the Belfast Agreement are talking about a wider process - it seems to have taken on some of the events that took place almost four years before it and every agreement that happened afterwards
"So if we are talking about a process that has at its heart compromise, partnership, people working together to make progress, then I think the whole community should support that.
"The specifics of the Belfast Agreement itself, clearly I opposed - I think I was right in opposing it.
George Mitchell: 'NI must own the agreement'published at 12:44 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
Former US Senator George Mitchell, who chaired the Good Friday Agreement talks, tells the BBC's Talkback programme "there were many ups and downs... in the course of the years of negotiations".
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He added: "At the very end, the real heroes of the process were the political leaders and the people of NI who rose to the occasion"
Muted celebrationspublished at 12:40 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
If you had planned to organise a 20th birthday party for the Good Friday Agreement, you would not do it this way, says BBC News NI political editor Mark Devenport.
No Assembly. No power-sharing executive. No north-south ministerial meetings. Stormont unrepresented when east-west British Irish Council gatherings take place.
It feels like someone forgot to bake a cake...
Read more from Mark here.
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Ex-US president due in Belfastpublished at 12:27 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
To mark the anniversary, former US president Bill Clinton, ex prime minister Tony Blair and former taoiseach Bertie Ahern are due at event at the Whitla Hall in south Belfast. Read more here.
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In summary...published at 12:16 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
The deal was:
- Reached after several years of talks between political parties and nearly 30 years of violence
- Agreed on 10 April 1998
- Included plans for a Northern Ireland Assembly with a power-sharing executive and new cross-border institutions involving the Republic of Ireland to deal with issues like farming and health
- The Republic of Ireland dropped its constitutional claim to the six counties that form Northern Ireland
- There were also controversial proposals on the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons, the future of policing in Northern Ireland, and the early release of paramilitary prisoners
The Good what?published at 12:06 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
If you're after a quick primer about the deal, agreed on this day in 1998, check out this brief guide from BBC News NI's Jordan Kenny.
Media caption,
The Good Friday Agreement: A brief guide
Hello and welcomepublished at 12:00 British Summer Time 10 April 2018
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of events to mark the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Stay with us throughout the day as we bring you the latest from Belfast, where key architects of the agreement are gathering.