Senator George Mitchell has admitted that the Northern peace process is under great stress and has said there is a real threat that it might not proceed. Speaking at a conference of bankers in Dublin this morning, Mr Mitchell said the result of such a failure would be entirely unpredictable. He said there was no credible alternative to the Good Friday Agreement, and if it was not implemented, the people of Northern Ireland would face a highly uncertain future. Before going back to Belfast, the former senator said the talks process would be intensified next week and he hoped there would be some progress. Former Deputy First Minister, Seamus Mallon, said Mr Mitchell was accurate in his assessment that the peace process was still under stress.
