UK News 01-12-1999 Northern Ireland Devolution Complete who: Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble what: To preside over first meeting of Northern Ireland Assembly where: BELFAST when: Today snippet: "With a stroke of the Queen`s pen" at midnight last night, writes Nicholas Watt in The Guardian, power was transferred from Westminster to the new government of Northern Ireland. But the truly historic moment will be today "at 3pm when David Trimble presides over the first meeting of a power-sharing executive to include republicans." Ireland - both north and south - is about to take a further "four steps forward", says The new-look Mirror online. Britain and Ireland will sign a deal in Dublin to set up cross-border authorities; Ireland will officially drop its claim to govern the province; Unionists and Sinn Fein will "rub shoulders" at the first ever meeting of the new assembly at Stormont; and the IRA will appoint their much-vaunted go-between to oversee arms decommissioning. [... more]

What The Papers Say is delivered to thousands of readers every morning by web, WAP and email. Sign up today!