The Northern Ireland Assembly, currently suspended since October 2002, may resume sessions in March, according to this week’s The Economist. The International Monitoring Commission met January 30th and seems satisfied that the IRA has ceased terrorist activities. This prompted prime ministers Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern, of Britain and Ireland, to call for an election of a new assembly March 7th, with a resumption of self rule on March 26th.

The Northern Ireland Assembly aims to share power between the Unionists and the Nationalists and establish self-government of the region. If the elections take place, which are in doubt, it would be a another significant step toward peace intended by the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.

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