Good Friday Agreement: Sense prevails over Northern Ireland's position in EU single market – Angus Robertson

Hard to believe it has been 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement secured peace in Northern Ireland.

What was previously thought to be impossible was delivered with the agreement of local political and community leaders and the support of the UK, Irish and US governments.

Watching the archive pictures of the main players should remind everyone old enough to remember ‘the Troubles’ how remarkable the agreement was. Not only has it managed to end the previous levels of violence in Northern Ireland but it brought power-sharing self-government to the province and outlined a route to a future referendum on Irish unification.

None of this would have been possible without the leadership from unionist and nationalist leaders David Trimble and John Hume, UK and Irish Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern, US negotiator George Mitchell and also loyalists and republicans prepared to give up violence for a place in democratic politics.

Scotland was host to the St Andrews Agreement which played an important part in the wider peace process, and Edinburgh also hosts the secretariat of the British-Irish Council. The body includes ministerial representatives from the British and Irish governments, the UK's devolved administrations, as well as the Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey.

In recent months, there has been real concern that Northern Ireland’s peace could be undermined by the confrontational approach of the UK Government towards the European Union. Finally, sense has prevailed and the position of Northern Ireland has been guaranteed in the single European and UK markets.

Angus Robertson is the SNP MSP for Edinburgh Central and Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Secretary