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Sinn Fein MP Conor Murphy examines the implications of the Haass talks in Northern Ireland

The current and well-publicised difficulties in the political process in the north of Ireland go to the heart of the issues and difficulties involved in making political change and progress in a post-conflict situation.

The focus for this has been the recent all-party talks chaired by US diplomats Richard Haass and Meghan O'Sullivan, and their subsequent proposals to deal with contentious issues of flags and emblems, contentious Orange parades and dealing with the legacy of the past.

The failure of the leadership of political unionism to accept the very reasonable compromise deal which was on the table and their resistance to take forward progressive change is also underpinned by the failure of the British government, which essentially allows intransigence to continue.

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