this live from london. this is bbc news. russia is accused of planning to cut crucial power an attempt to get a ceasefire in sudan after people flee the capital after five days of fighting. russia is accused of planning to cut crucial power and communication cables in the north sea. inflation in the uk drops slightly, but it's still the highest of the g7 nations. a 15—year—old from cornwall has just been crowned the best younger surfer on the planet. we will speak to him shortly.

we will be live in belfast in a moment or two. sport and for a full round—up, from the bbc sport centre now. we'll start with the first 147 maximim break at this year's world snooker championship, it's come on day 5 at the crucible is sheffield from kyren wilson in his 2nd round match against ryan day. the maximum break, where you pot all 15 reds, 15 blacks and all the colours has only been done 12 times before in the history of the tournament. and what about this for nerves of steel? there's also a prize pot totalling £55,000 that wilson would take home if no one else can match him. as for the match itself they'll resume this evening in sheffield with wilson leading day by 6 frames to 3. the winner plastohn higgins in the second round.

0n the other table, england's jack lisowski has beaten noppon saengkham of thailand by ten frames to seven. lisowski will face the winner of the match betweenjudd trump and anthony mcgill, that's going on right now. mcgill leads 7—5. later, manchester city look to secure their place in the champions league semi—finals where they would face real madrid. pep guardiola's team take a 3—0 lead to germany to take on bayern munich in the second leg of their quarterfinal. city have won 10 in a row going into this one and are looking to lift the trophy for the first time. bayern have enjoyed doing that six times and city boss pep guardiola says his players know exactly what to expect, against the team he used to manage. ididn't i didn't say to the team, be careful with bayern munich, i know how difficult they are, 3—0, don't relax. they are not relaxed. they felt it, they know it, how good a team it is.

so this is where we stand. real madrid and ac milan have already reached the champions league semi—finals. later, as well as bayern/city, inter milan face benfica. the italian side 2—0 up in that tie. after cheslea limped out of the champions league at the hands of real madrid making it four defeats from four games for interim manager frank lamaprd, their defender thiago silva has had his say. speaking after their 2—0 defeat at stamford bridge the brazillian says it's �*a hard period for the club with a lot of indecision�* and that chelsea need a �*strategy in place�* to avoid making the same mistakes next season. european football is looking extremely unlikely next season, with the side 11th in the premier league with seven to play. i think we have already taken the first step. it was a mistake, but it has happened. now we�*ve got to take a step back and see what we did wrong. we can�*t be blaming managers if we don�*t take responsibility. it's if we don�*t take responsibility. it�*s a hard period for the club, with a lot of indecision. there was a change of ownership. many players

came in. we even had to extend the dressing room as it wasn�*t big enough for all of the players. we�*ve got to take stock and put together a plan for next season so that we don�*t make the same mistakes. to cricket, and david warner has been included in the australia squad for the world test championship final against india and the first two ashes tests with england. the 36 year old has not been the force of old, but a double century against south africa in december showed he can still produce the big scores when needed. warner�*s struggled with an elbow injury of late but makes the squad and will be expected to take to the field against england when the ashes get underway injune. and finally, ultrarunner joasia zakrzewski says she made a �*massive error�* after getting a lift in a car for part of a 50 mile race from manchester to liverpool. zakrzewski was competing in good friday�*s race and said she got a lift off a friend for 2.5 miles after deciding to drop out. she says she told marshalls what she was doing and was convinced to carry on but in a non—competitive

way before crossing the line in third and being given a bronze trophy. zakrzewski is said to have told friends she felt sick after flying in from australia and was jetlagged. she�*s since been disqualified. and the third prize has been returned. and that�*s all the sport for now. more from will later in the programme. ijust want more from will later in the programme. i just want to dip more from will later in the programme. ijust want to dip back to belfast, to queen�*s university because of the event we have been keeping an eye on because over the last couple of weeks so many different moments to mark the 25 years since the good friday agreement and we heard earlierfrom bill clinton with his thoughts of what has gone in the last 25 years and what lies ahead and next up we will hear from and what lies ahead and next up we will hearfrom rishi sunak in the next little while. we will continue to keep an eye on that and when the british prime minister arrives at the microphone, we will carry rishi

sunak and his thoughts 25 years on. russia has been accused of planning a campaign of sabotage against energy infrastructure in the north sea, to be activated in the case of war with the west. the claims have has made in a documentary, produced by the public broadcasters in scandinavia and finland. 0ur reporter nicky schiller is in the newsroom with more. this is absolutely fascinating. these allegations come in an investigation by public broadcasters in norway, denmark, sweden and finland. the first is being broadcast today, called putin�*s shadow war. they allege that russia has a fleet of vessels that are disguised as fishing trawlers and research vessels that are actually carrying underwater surveillance equipment and are being used to map possible sites for sabotage if the conflict with the west increases. one of the vessels that they tracked was the admiral vladmirsky. they allege that it is a russian spy ship. officially, it is a research vessel. but they tracked a route you can see

here in red they say had passed at least seven offshore wind farms, both in the uk and off denmark. when dr�*s reporter caught up with the vessel in a small boat, this is what happened. as we have been told by the source, i can see crew members walking around on the deck. i think they're watching us. there's two men staring at us. wow, they're looking at us. this is really a strange situation. almost a tense situation. they're looking at us. he went on to see this masked individual carrying what appears to be a military assault rifle. the whole documentary uses claims by an anonymous, former uk royal navy expert. here�*s what he told the investigation team. they don't normally run encrypted communications, and that can only be something they don't want people to know. this tells me this vessel is engaged in something other than hydrographic research.

what could that be? underwater surveillance. cables, pipelines, topography as well. so, mapping the sea bed. not only are they able to map the infrastructure but they have built a fleet specifically to attack that infrastructure. in norway, this nrkjournalist has been tracking the routes of civilian vessels and in one case, he says a russian trawler crossed 130 times the svalbard cable before it was damaged. we don�*t know what caused that damage but we do know signals from this, one of the world�*s biggest satellite stations, do pass down the fibre—optic cables. seperately, the bbc understands uk officials are aware of russian vessels moving around uk waters as part of this programme. it�*s also worth noting that reconnaissance of secret sites is not that uncommon and indeed, western nations may be doing similar things in russia.

for more on this, i�*m now joined by tobias liebetrau who is a maritime and infrastructure expert at the university of copenhagen. welcome to the programme. it sounds incredibly serious. how worrying is it in your view? it is incredibly serious. how worrying is it in your view?— it in your view? it is definitely worrying- _ it in your view? it is definitely worrying- it — it in your view? it is definitely worrying. it shows _ it in your view? it is definitely worrying. it shows how- it in your view? it is definitely | worrying. it shows how russia it in your view? it is definitely i worrying. it shows how russia is conducting this search against the infrastructure and it says something about the scale they are doing it at so it�*s definitely worrying, but it�*s not new, in the sense that we already knew that the russians were interested in critical infrastructure in the north sea and baltic sea and it�*s part of a larger russian strategy to prepare themselves should they faced the west in a conflict or war. how easy would it be — west in a conflict or war. how easy would it be to _ west in a conflict or war. how easy would it be to take _ west in a conflict or war. how easy would it be to take out _ west in a conflict or war. how easy would it be to take out large - west in a conflict or war. how easy would it be to take out large parts| would it be to take out large parts of critical infrastructure, and how difficult will it be to protect it? well it will be feasible for the russians, and we saw it already with the nord stream attack, and it was

definitely feasible and possible and that would be the power cables or data cables because it�*s such a bad space to protect on the sea bed and also in between, so in order to prevent such an attack from happening, and the comment of the conduct offices something could be done by submarines. there are different ways of conducting attacks against infrastructure but it�*s definitely possible. we against infrastructure but it's definitely possible.— against infrastructure but it's definitely possible. we have been lookin: at definitely possible. we have been looking at and _ definitely possible. we have been looking at and diagrams - definitely possible. we have been looking at and diagrams and - definitely possible. we have been looking at and diagrams and wind| looking at and diagrams and wind farms. you mention cables. and take me through the official consequences if there were to be some attack on any of those things? it if there were to be some attack on any of those things?— if there were to be some attack on any of those things? it depends on the scale of _ any of those things? it depends on the scale of the _ any of those things? it depends on the scale of the attack _ any of those things? it depends on the scale of the attack but - any of those things? it depends on the scale of the attack but if - any of those things? it depends on the scale of the attack but if it - any of those things? it depends on the scale of the attack but if it is i the scale of the attack but if it is a a large disruptive attack to take

out multiple power cables it could be devastating for societies in the north and north of europe because we are dependent on communication and all of our digital communication, and attack at scale would be devastating for western society as we rely on the infrastructures for finance, health, transport and it could hit society hard. it�*s finance, health, transport and it could hit society hard.— could hit society hard. it's a fascinating _ could hit society hard. it's a fascinating story _ could hit society hard. it's a fascinating story and - could hit society hard. it's a fascinating story and thank| could hit society hard. it's a i fascinating story and thank you could hit society hard. it's a - fascinating story and thank you for your thoughts on it. thanks for joining us. ukraine says it�*s received the first of the us—made patriot air defence systems it�*s been promised. a spokesman called the arrival of the powerful surface—to—air system a historic step that would allow the military to push russian aircraft away from ukraine�*s borders.

the arrival of the first battery comes ahead of an expected ukrainian spring offensive, and fears that kyiv is running low on air defence missiles. we heard more on this from our ukraine correspondent james waterhouse. there was a time in ukraine when ministers were deeply frustrated over the speed germany was providing military aid. well, this is a sizeable 2.2 billion euros package which has been announced. crucially for kyiv, it includes patriot air defence systems is made in the us. they are seen as one of the best of this kind. they can launch missiles for up to 150 kilometres, they can take out missiles as well as enemy aircraft. what kyiv is saying is that will allow them to repel russian aircraft and keep them out of ukrainian airspace, because up to this point in this war neither side has secured air dominance. this is part of a real big announcement from berlin. 18 leopard tanks have also been announced, 500 pistols, 3000 anti—tank weapons,

a military hospital alongside with estonia, and 100,000 hand grenades. itjust shows how expensive this conflict is in just about every way. but i think for right now, kyiv has been asking for air defence systems to be improved and ammunition, there were doubts over stocks running out, but this will go some way to relax those worries. but russia is showing no signs of letting up in terms of firing drone and missiles right across ukrainian airspace. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. in training today, guide dogsjozi and sunny but at the moment there is

and sunny but at the moment there is a waiting list for two years for people who need guide dogs like them. we people who need guide dogs like them. ~ ., ., , ., ., them. we have to stop training and roducin: them. we have to stop training and producing dogs _ them. we have to stop training and producing dogs and _ them. we have to stop training and producing dogs and breeding - them. we have to stop training and producing dogs and breeding dogsl them. we have to stop training and i producing dogs and breeding dogs and catching _ producing dogs and breeding dogs and catching up with that has been a major— catching up with that has been a major issue. catching up with that has been a major issue-— catching up with that has been a ma'or issue. ., ._ ., , ma'or issue. today saw the opening of major issue. today saw the opening of a new opening — major issue. today saw the opening of a new opening headquarters - major issue. today saw the opening of a new opening headquarters for l of a new opening headquarters for the community team doing the honours at the opening ceremony today, dave thomas, someone who knows more than most the value of a guide dog. back in 1982 he was scoring goals like this for middlesbrough. that�*s thomas and a good effort, splendid goal. now he�*s lost most of his side to glaucoma, a decision that —— a condition that destroys peripheral vision. ., , condition that destroys peripheral vision. .,, ,., ., , vision. the most important thing is the independence _ vision. the most important thing is the independence she _ vision. the most important thing is the independence she has - vision. the most important thing is the independence she has given i vision. the most important thing is i the independence she has given me, getting _ the independence she has given me, getting a _ the independence she has given me, getting a bus, train, aeroplane. the new facility — getting a bus, train, aeroplane. tie: new facility will help train guide dogs for users right across the north—east. you�*re live with bbc news. losing weight can rid sufferers of diabetes —

that�*s the conclusion of a landmark medical trial. it found that patients on a special low calorie diet who then kept the weight off were free from symptoms five years later. type 2 diabetes is a relatively common condition where blood sugar becomes too high, and is often linked to being overweight or inactive. around a62 million people around the world are affected — that�*s just over 6 per cent of the population. the diet in this study consists of low—calorie soups and shakes for four weeks, followed by help with reintroducing normal meals. professorjonathan valabjee, the national clinical director for diabetes and obesity at nhs england is leading the national roll—out of the programme in the nhs in england. it's exciting data from the direct trial that has come out today. . a few years ago they were able to demonstrate that people - with fairly recent onset of type two diabetes could be put _ into remission, supported to achieve remission, - that means normal glucose levels off full medication. _

at that point we were very impressed with the trial results _ and began a roll—out - across the nhs in england. the data today demonstrates that actually that remission _ in a proportion of individuals can be maintained at the five year. mark, which is quite - an exciting prospect really. much of the output from this trial has turned much of traditional. wisdom and thinking on its head. many of us within the field before this had considered type two diabetes to be - progressive and irreversible. now it's very clear with the direct trial and what we are reproducing within the nhs, it shows one can i achieve significant weight loss i i through this intervention that can. indeed put the diabetes into reverse and into remission. such interesting research which is raising eyebrows around the world as people look at the outcome of those

findings, the indications. as we said, we are keeping an eye on the speeches in belfast and we were listening to bill clinton a short while ago. and lee over radtke is at the microphone. let�*s listen for the next few seconds. the the microphone. let's listen for the next few seconds.— next few seconds. the good friday itself and all _ next few seconds. the good friday itself and all the _ next few seconds. the good friday itself and all the milestones - next few seconds. the good friday itself and all the milestones that i itself and all the milestones that followed were only possible because of the joint approach from the two governments and to quote the prime minister of the agreement was born through partnership together and i believe we can make the good friday agreement fulfil its promise for reconciliation and shared achievement. colleagues, i�*m particularly delighted that so many of our international friends are here with us today. the agreement belongs first and foremost with people and britain and ireland and it was built with the help of partners from around the world and we are so grateful so many people in other parts of the world have an ongoing deep and meaningful interest in what happens in ireland. it�*s

impossible to list all of the individuals that made their mark on the peace process and i won�*t try to do so, but if you live —— think of some of the countries that have made a contribution, the us, south africa, finland, canada and indeed the countries of the european union, just hearing the list evokes a roll call of individuals to whom we owe depreciation. so i�*m grateful to all of you, those with us and those who travel with us. just of you, those with us and those who travel with us.— travel with us. just talking to the assembled _ travel with us. just talking to the assembled guests, _ travel with us. just talking to the assembled guests, and - travel with us. just talking to the assembled guests, and we - travel with us. just talking to the j assembled guests, and we heard travel with us. just talking to the - assembled guests, and we heard from bill clinton, and we expect to hear from rishi sunak as well, so when rishi sunak approaches the microphones we will return there to belfast. now, i�*m looking forward to talking to my next guest — he�*s 15 years old and on top of the world. lukas skinner has just been crowned the best young surfer on the planet. have a look at this.

pretty impressive, isn�*t it? lukas won the under 16�*s world title in melbourne in australia — the first briton to do it. he�*s from perranporth in cornwall. last year the european surfing federation described his performances as some of the most �*electrifying displays we�*ve ever seen�*. i�*m delighted to say lukasjoins me now on the programme. welcome to the programme, lukas. watching you win the title, what does it feel like? top of the world, best in the world?— does it feel like? top of the world, best in the world? hello. thank you so much. yeah, _ best in the world? hello. thank you so much. yeah, it _ best in the world? hello. thank you so much. yeah, it feels _ best in the world? hello. thank you so much. yeah, it feels pretty - best in the world? hello. thank you so much. yeah, it feels pretty crazyj so much. yeah, it feels pretty crazy right now and nothing has really kicked in, but we have loads of support and it feels insane. you are u . support and it feels insane. you are u- auainst support and it feels insane. you are up against against _ support and it feels insane. you are up against against others _ support and it feels insane. you are up against against others who - support and it feels insane. you are up against against others who are i up against against others who are the best in the sport, and i read you are worried about sharks. how do you are worried about sharks. how do you keep calm on the board because your dad tells you always that that is the key. for your dad tells you always that that is the ke . ., , your dad tells you always that that isthe ke . ., , your dad tells you always that that istheke. .,, ,

is the key. for sure. it was pretty nerve-racking — is the key. for sure. it was pretty nerve-racking and _ is the key. for sure. it was pretty nerve-racking and i _ is the key. for sure. it was pretty nerve-racking and i never - is the key. for sure. it was pretty nerve-racking and i never been i is the key. for sure. it was pretty| nerve-racking and i never been in nerve—racking and i never been in the stadium before so i did have the sharks in the back of my head but i was super cool and i knew if i stayed calm and did my best then i knew i could do it and i made some amazing friends doing it as well. i mentioned your dad just now, and 11 time european champion and your mum is a great server as well. in terms of you being on a board, how old were you?— of you being on a board, how old were ou? , ., , ., , were you? they had brought me up surfin: were you? they had brought me up surfing since _ were you? they had brought me up surfing since i _ were you? they had brought me up surfing since i was _ were you? they had brought me up surfing since i was two _ were you? they had brought me up surfing since i was two or— were you? they had brought me up surfing since i was two or three - were you? they had brought me upj surfing since i was two or three and it�*s been really cool to have them on my dad there, he�*s one of the best in the world, and my mum has spent a lot of time with me as well, so it�*s been so crazy. we spent a lot of time with me as well, so it's been so crazy.— so it's been so crazy. we are seeing ou so it's been so crazy. we are seeing you absolutely _ so it's been so crazy. we are seeing you absolutely in _ so it's been so crazy. we are seeing you absolutely in your _ so it's been so crazy. we are seeing you absolutely in your prime. - so it's been so crazy. we are seeing you absolutely in your prime. for. you absolutely in your prime. for people who do not know the sport, staying on the board is one thing, but tell me, technically, what are you actually doing? what is it that gives you marks and makes you stand out from other people?—

out from other people? really doing better stuff than _ out from other people? really doing better stuff than other _ out from other people? really doing better stuff than other people. - out from other people? really doing better stuff than other people. and | better stuff than other people. and just like surfing strong, making your waves, just like surfing strong, making yourwaves, doing just like surfing strong, making your waves, doing big returns and big sections and you get that sense there. just surfing your best and hoping, hoping that they like your surfing. brute hoping, hoping that they like your surfina. ~ hoping, hoping that they like your surfina.~ , , surfing. we lost you slightly there. i know surfing. we lost you slightly there. i know since _ surfing. we lost you slightly there. i know since you _ surfing. we lost you slightly there. i know since you came _ surfing. we lost you slightly there. i know since you came back - surfing. we lost you slightly there. i know since you came back from i i know since you came back from australia, wow, what a welcome you got at school. what was it like? it got at school. what was it like? tit was so crazy. it was really cool. it was so crazy. it was really cool. it was nice to know that everyone was so supportive of me, and it was just the best feeling i could have ever asked for, so i would like to thank everyone who did that for me, and your thank you. everyone who did that for me, and your thank you-— your thank you. straight back into school work- _ your thank you. straight back into school work. how— your thank you. straight back into school work. how does _ your thank you. straight back into school work. how does it - your thank you. straight back into school work. how does it go? - your thank you. straight back into school work. how does it go? we | your thank you. straight back into . school work. how does it go? we are now in the spring. i was reading that the winter is the toughest time for training. tell me about that.

yes, it�*s super cold, but the waves are the best we get all year round, so you just have to persevere with the cold, and the surf gets that good that you don�*t even want to get out. there are really good surface around like joll out. there are really good surface around likejoll da re, and it�*s been really cool and a good winter. i think it was three when he first got on a board, but in terms of aduu got on a board, but in terms of adult world champions, they�*ve done what you have done which is win at this under 16 stage. what is next? what do you have in your sites? it�*s what do you have in your sites? it's re what do you have in your sites? it�*s pretty cool to be on the main list. and hopefully if i work hard enough i can reach the dreams the other surfers have made and they are my top goals and the olympics is there as well. as long as i work hard, i feel it could all come if ijust put hundred and 50% into everything. aha,

hundred and 50% into everything. a final quick question, you had a serious injury not long ago. it�*s incredible to see you are winless after all of that, isn�*t it? i incredible to see you are winless after all of that, isn't it?- after all of that, isn't it? i tore my spleen _ after all of that, isn't it? i tore my spleen when _ after all of that, isn't it? i tore my spleen when i _ after all of that, isn't it? i tore my spleen when i was - after all of that, isn't it? i tore my spleen when i was 11 - after all of that, isn't it? i tore my spleen when i was 11 years| after all of that, isn't it? i tore i my spleen when i was 11 years old and i had to work as hard as i could to get back on the surfboard and i have stopped skating and i�*m surf —— focusing on surfing. have stopped skating and i'm surf -- focusing on surfing.— focusing on surfing. lukas, it's treat to focusing on surfing. lukas, it's great to have _ focusing on surfing. lukas, it's great to have you _ focusing on surfing. lukas, it's great to have you on _ focusing on surfing. lukas, it's great to have you on the - focusing on surfing. lukas, it's - great to have you on the programme. a slightly tricky line, but you look absolutely fabulous with that backdrop and the crown is yours, so thank you so much for taking time to speak to us here.— speak to us here. thanks for having us. thank speak to us here. thanks for having us- thank you- _ that event in belfast, we will take you there, because we are expecting in the next little while to hear from rishi sunak, and the final preparations being made as we heard from the irish prime minister and we heard from bill clinton and now the

uk prime minister isjust approaching the microphone, so let�*s cross over and show you the pictures, because the scene there at queen�*s university, and over the last couple of weeks, we�*ve seen a series of events marking 25 years since the good friday agreement. here is rishi sunak.— since the good friday agreement. here is rishi sunak. good afternoon. the belfast good _ here is rishi sunak. good afternoon. the belfast good friday _ the belfast good friday agreement will always be remembered as one of the most extraordinary political achievements of our lifetimes. the step—by—step, faltering at first, people on all sides began to do things that were once unthinkable in the search for peace. but you don�*t need me to tell you that, because many of you in this room created it. it's many of you in this room created it. it�*s humbling to be with you today. and with the people of northern ireland, who have endured so much. after three long decades where violence and terror were part of

everyday life, a generation has grown up in a place that is vastly more peaceful and prosperous and more peaceful and prosperous and more at ease with itself. of course, we meet here today in circumstances that are far from perfect. but my argument today is this. the belfast good friday agreement remains the best and only foundation for peace and prosperity. and if we can take inspiration and instruction from the way peace was achieved 25 years ago, we can fulfil the true promise enshrined in the agreement. the promise of stable, devolved government, a prosperous economy and a more united society. that�*s the future for northern ireland. the one we must build. to do that, we must first ask why. why did peace talks

succeed in 1998 when so many had failed before? i believe that�*s because people on all sides showed courage, imagination and perseverance. first, those who work for peace who had the courage to keep going despite daily threats to them and theirfamilies keep going despite daily threats to them and their families and the political courage to take risks in pursuit of a higher goal. john hume over his entire career never relented in his insistence on non—violence. david trimble took enormous risks to do what he thought was right for the union and they were rightly honoured as the pre—eminent architects of peace with a joint nobel peace prize. gerry adams and martin mcguinness persuaded republicans to join a constitutional power—sharing assembly and encouraged by the intensive efforts of mo mowlam, the leaders of loyalism also lend their

weight behind the deal. female leaders, from the women for peace in the women�*s coalition who worked so hard for peace, and bertie ahern, whose wisdom and stagecraft —— statecraft sees the historic opportunity. at a critical moment he recognised unionist concerns over the proposed north and south arrangements and stepped back. david trimble himself in his last public appearance at this universityjust weeks before he passed away and embraced his old counterpart and thanked bertie for giving him the space to act. these acts of courage were more powerful than a thousand bombs and bullets. there is nothing glamorous about violence. there is nothing glorious about terror. squalid acts are always justified with some false dream about what they will achieve, but they have never worked and they never will.

applause. never worked and they never will. applause— applause. instead, let's glorify moderation _ applause. instead, let's glorify moderation and _ applause. instead, let's glorify moderation and romanticise, . applause. instead, let's glorify - moderation and romanticise, respect and make heroes of those with the courage to reject absolutes, not kill for them. courage to reject absolutes, not kill forthem. it courage to reject absolutes, not kill for them. it took leaps of imagination to conceive a system of power—sharing between traditions, to design an agreement with three strands of equal importance to enshrine the principle of consent. so northern ireland remains a part of the uk for as long as it�*s people wish. while protecting the aspirations of those who seek a different future through peaceful means and for the first time the people of north and south were both

given the opportunity to support the deal. and they did so in overwhelming majorities. and let us neverforget overwhelming majorities. and let us never forget the crucial work after 1998 to build a broader consensus helped by the leadership of doctor ian paisley. and third, the piece took extraordinary perseverance in the aftermath of the shank hill bomb in 1993, many thought the peace process was over, butjust two months later, john major delivered the downing street declaration and george mitchell persuaded all parties to sign up to the principles of democracy and non—violence, without which the talks could not have begun. and in the difficult final hours, president clinton�*s timely interventions helped get the deal done. and whenever people walked away, tony blair sought to bring them back, always committed,

always attuned to the concerns of all parts of the community. together with bertie ahern, he showed us what is possible when the uk and irish governments work together, a partnership i know will continue alongside my friend, leo varadker. applause. and in the spirit of perseverance it is also fitting to recognise the contribution of the security forces. like my predecessors i acknowledge that at times they made mistakes, but we must also recognise their bravery, suffering and sacrifice and that of the police. without their courageous service, there would have been no peace process at all. they created the conditions that allowed their own presence on the streets to be reduced or entirely withdrawn.

courage, imagination and