UPDATED WITH A NEW PREFACE Fifteen minutes before five o'clock on Good Friday, 1998, Senator George Mitchell was informed that his long and difficult quest for an Irish peace effort had succeeded--the Protestants and Catholics of Northern Ireland, and the governments of the Republic of Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, would sign the agreement. Now Mitchell, who served as independent chairman of the peace talks for the length of the process, tells us the inside story of the grueling road to this momentous accord and the subsequent developments that may threaten, or strengthen, the chance for a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. "Senator Mitchell is a hero of the Northern Irish peace process."--Paul Bew, "Sunday Times" (London) Fifteen minutes before five o'clock on Good Friday 1998, Senator George Mitchell was informed that his long and difficult quest for an Irish peace effort had succeeded -- the Protestants and Catholics of Northern Ireland, and the governments of the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, would sign the agreement. Now Mitchell, who served as independent chairman of the peace talks for the length of the process, tells us the inside story of the grueling road to this momentous accord and the subsequent developments that may threaten, or strengthen, the chance for a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. George Mitchell served as Senator from Maine from 1980 to 1995, the last six years as Majority Leader. Since leaving the Senate, in addition to chairing the Northern Ireland peace talks, he has served as Chairman of the International Crisis Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention of crisis in international affairs, and as Chairman of the Ethics Committee of the U.S. Olympic Committee. Making Peace By George J. Mitchell University of California Press Copyright © 2000 George J. Mitchell All right reserved. ISBN: 9780520225237 Excerpt Although I didn't realize it at the time, my journey to Northern Ireland beganin December 1982, when I decided that I would limit the time of my service inthe United States Senate. I had been appointed to the Senate in May 1980 tocomplete the unexpired term of Edmund Muskie, who resigned to become secretaryof state. His Senate term continued through 1982, giving me two and a half yearsto demonstrate to the people of Maine that I deserved election in my own rightto a full six-year term. As it turned out, I needed every bit of that time. Appointed senators rarely win election on their own, and it looked as though Iwould continue that tradition. Throughout 1980 and 1981, Maine's two members ofthe House of Representatives, both Republicans, jockeyed for position in whatwas widely perceived as the sure thing of defeating me. In May 1981 one of them,David Emery, released a public opinion poll which showed him trouncing me by 61percent to 25 percent?a thirty-six-point spread. Not to be outdone, the otherHouse member, Olympia Snowe, announced a poll which had her ahead of me bythirty-three points. Kenneth Curtis, a former governor, then stated that he wasconsidering running against me in the Democratic primary. He cited yet anotherpoll, showing him leading by twenty-two points. Publication of the polls produced the intended and predictable result: anavalanche of negative news reports and a growing uneasiness among Democratsabout the viability of my candidacy. I had been working hard for a year, but theonly response to my political problems I could devise was to work even harder. I had been traveling around the state, speaking at service clubs and highschools and going to bean suppers. But these were random appearances, usually inresponse to invitations I received. I now began a systematic effort to visitevery service club, high school, hospital, grange hall, senior citizens center,and manufacturing facility in the state. Instead of eight to ten public eventseach weekend I attended twelve to fifteen. I also increased the time I devotedto researching and studying each issue on which the Senate voted. It was an extremely difficult year. I was usually tired, often discouraged,always anxious. But I never felt that my situation was hopeless; I never lostfaith in myself or my principles. Over time, my prospects improved. Curtis decided, for health reasons, not toseek the nomination. Snowe deferred to Emery and withdrew from consideration. Itwas then Emery's bad luck that the incumbent Republican administration, andthose candidates associated with it, were held responsible for the worseningeconomy. Late in the campaign the tide turned decisively in my favor. In theelection I received 61 percent of the votes. Among the lessons I learned from this experience were the importance of having aplan and sticking to it while retaining the flexibility to make adjustments ascircumstances change; the necessity of total commitment; and the need forpatience and perseverance to overcome the inevitable setbacks. These are notbrilliant