Mo Mowlam: The people have chosen. And we must listen to them

Some people might have wished for a different outcome to the election in Northern Ireland on Thursday. But the people have chosen, and we should listen to them. Some of the papers have referred to the result as a crisis. Others argue that the peace process is "on the brink of collapse".

Sinn Fein and the DUP have turned out to be the two major parties that represent the two communities. This reflects the basic division that has always been there, and the Northern Ireland people have said that it has to be faced up to. They have become dissatisfied with the more moderate parties, which have not been able to reach agreement because of the more extreme elements on both sides. The people have indicated in various polls that they agree with the Good Friday Agreement. This means that if the DUP and Sinn Fein are listening to the people, then they will need to find a way to work together.

It is no good Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern saying that the Good Friday Agreement is non-negotiable. What are non-negotiable are the principles that underlie it. These are the principle of consent, the principle of negotiation and the principle that all parties must reach agreement.

At the time of the negotiation of the agreement the political climate was very different. In America Bill Clinton was focused on the Northern Ireland problem. Europe helped with political and economic support. There was goodwill throughout the United Kingdom. But the world has changed. The present US administration has shown little or no interest in the problem. Things in Europe have moved on, and in Britain most people feel that the problem was substantially solved with the agreement, and do not understand the constant ongoing disputes between the parties.

It is this changed situation that must focus the minds of the newly elected politicians. In addition, Tony Blair has always had an enormous commitment to the peace process in Northern Ireland. But for him too, times have changed, and he has many other issues that command his attention.

Ian Paisley and his followers and Gerry Adams and the rest of Sinn Fein will have to face up to having to talk and negotiate with each other. In the past the DUP left the talks as Sinn Fein entered them. So the reality is that they have never sat down and talked before. I expect to see in the short term a continuance of the old behaviour; the DUP arguing that the IRA must hand in all weapons, and Sinn Fein arguing that it has moved far enough. Ian Paisley has already been speaking about his dissatisfaction with Sinn Fein's vote. The electorate has said to both sides that it is time to move on to a more constructive debate about how the Good Friday Agreement can work in the interests of everyone.

We know that most people in Northern Ireland support the agreement, so we can only interpret this election result as support for the agreement and support for the two parties that should engage in implementing it.

From reading the British press, they are up to their old tricks of describing this as a traumatic and dangerous situation. They seem to ignore the fact that seven out of ten people cast votes that clearly endorsed the peace process. And they should remember that before the devolved assembly was suspended there were two DUP members, two from Sinn Fein, two Ulster Unionists and two SDLP members in the government of Northern Ireland.

The other factor that has been overlooked but has affected the results is that Sinn Fein has an excellent election machine. Also, the DUP has had a lot of time and some very good brains working on campaigning for its candidates.

Many may believe that I am being over-optimistic in my assessment of the new political situation but I have always believed that you must have confidence that you can reach your goal, particularly if the people are behind you. Northern Ireland wants the peace process to continue. The electorate has recognised that the more extreme elements within the political spectrum are going to have to finally resolve a number of outstanding issues. What is encouraging is that this facing up to truth is being done in a democratic way.

Mo Mowlam is a former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland