Irish nationalists and pro-British unionists in Northern Ireland began talks today on restoring local government.
Northern Ireland has been without a local administration for almost three years, and talks about renewal come at a time when Great Britain's exit from the European Union threatens the already delicate political balance.
Sinn Féin resigned from the government in January 2017, saying it was not being treated as an equal partner. Since then, Sinn Féin and the largest pro-British party, the Democratic Unionist Party, have blamed each other for the failure to form a government.
The election victory of Prime Minister Boris Johnson means that Brexit is now a certainty, and Northern Ireland, as the only constituent part of Great Britain, has a land border with an EU country and is exposed to many potential consequences.
Unionists, who want Northern Ireland to remain British, fear that Johnson's decision to bring Northern Ireland into line with the EU market will pave the way for a United Ireland.
Irish nationalists, who seek union with the Republic of Ireland, say EU membership and open borders were a major part of the 1998 peace deal that ended 30 years of sectarian and political violence.
If they do not reach an agreement by January 13, another election will be held and if local government is not established even after that, the British government will have to consider direct rule from London, which would certainly be criticized by nationalists in Northern Ireland.
Bonus video:
