LONDON
Politicians from Northern Ireland and representatives from the British government agreed on Tuesday a deal that solves some key issues in the cross-party Northern Ireland talks.
According to the new agreement, the British government will support local government in Northern Ireland with an additional £2 billion.
The 75-point document said that in January 2015 the Northern Ireland Executive will adopt a comprehensive program of Public Sector Reform and Restructuring.
A Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition will be established by June 2015 as the basis for further addressing these issues, and is to report within 18 months of being established, the document said.
According to the new agreement, powers to take responsibility for parades and related protests should, in principle, be devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
In addition, the Northern Ireland Executive will establish an Oral History Archive by 2016 to provide a central place for people from all backgrounds, including the UK and Ireland, to share experiences and narratives related to the Troubles -- a common name for the ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland.
Five of the biggest parties in Northern Ireland took part in the meetings with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Theresa Villiers and Northern Ireland foreign minister Charlie Flanagan, who were representing the British government.
The British government said that after 11 weeks of talks at Stormont -- seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly -- the agreement was reached with Northern Ireland’s political leaders.
The agreement aims to provide a new approach to some of the most difficult issues left over from Northern Ireland’s past.
The British government said that it will offer a new start and a far more hopeful future, but will need continued hard work to ensure it fulfills its promise.
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