England, April 02: British Prime Minister’s speech over Libya at the press conference on Thursday, is reminiscent of his speech on Northern Ireland in 1993.
David Cameron has pretended he has no ‘selfish strategic or oil-related interest’ in Libya. His words echoed landmark declaration on Noerthern Ireland.
“Let me be clear to anyone watching in the Islamic or the Arab world. Britain has no selfish or strategic or oil-related interest in what is happening in Libya. Our interest has been to try and help save civilian life,” said Cameron in Downing Street on Thursday.
He tried to reassure the Muslim world that West’s military action over Muslim countries is to save lives and put a cap on all dirty politics. His words came after Arab countries campaigned against the dictatorship of West, claiming they were interested in Middle East’s oil.
Cameron’s claim of not being strategic over Libya’s attack is very similar to what had been said in 1993 in the Anglo-Irish Downing Street Declaration on Noerthern Ireland. It was also intended to reassure the nationalists and republicans that there had been “no selfish strategic or economic interest” intentions in Northern Ireland.
“The Prime Minister, on behalf of the British Government … reiterates, on behalf of the British Government, that they have no selfish strategic or economic interest in Northern Ireland,” Article 4 of the declaration, launched by John Major, former British Prime Minister, and his then Irish counterpart Albert Reynolds, says.
The declaration made Unionists to believe the British government was neutral on whether NI remains within the UK. Based on that, NI’s constitutional future should have been decided by its own people and not by the British government.
However, addressing the Ulster Unionists’ annual conference in 2008, he made clear his dislike for the declaration. “It’s in my own selfish and strategic interests, too.”
Cameron later said in one of his speeches that he would not be indifferent about the position of Northern Ireland within the UK. “I will never be neutral when it comes to expressing my support for the Union.”
—Agencies