Letter: Islands of peace

Sir: The British Archipelago has been waiting 2,000 years for an institution to balance competing national and regional interests. What better way to celebrate the millennium than the Council of the Isles ("Ireland: there is a solution", 13 January)?

But the project must involve wider regional interests through links to English devolution. I can think of no reason why the new mayor of London should not sit on the council to represent the London Irish, but we can also look to more exciting times when the council looks at wider issues than the Irish question. What about a place for the Manx government to discuss pollution in the Irish sea? What if, say, Stirling, Sunderland and Sligo compete for investment in a new semi-conductor plant?

The difficulties will be tremendous but the opportunities limitless.

JON SUTCLIFFE

London SW16