Territorial rights
Sir: I look forward to hearing President Clinton explain the difference between his attitude to the claim of the Serbs to take over land belonging to another country and his attitude to the claim of Irish Republi- cans to do just that (Leader, 2 December).
Has Mr Major pointed out (a) that British people (originally Scottish) have inhabited Northern Ireland for some 400 years, twice as long as Americans have inhabited California; (b) that in 1921 Britain offered the whole island a choice and six counties opted for the status quo which was guaranteed by the British Gov- ernment, and (c) that it is not politically correct for a peaceful country making a claim to land belonging to another peaceful country to employ an outlawed gang of ter- rorists to kill women and children? I seem to remember our gratitude to America for helping Britain to defeat Argentina's claim to British territory.
But apart from what Mr Major may regard as legal quibbles, the acid test may be: how will the housewife in Northern Ire- land benefit from any proposed change? Specifically, will she still be able to call her body her own?
Robin Ward
Lou Casaou, Falicon, France
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