THE BRITISH IRISH COUNCIL MEET AT LANCASTER GATE IN LONDON, 1999-12-17 (photo)

The British Irish council (L to R) President of the Policy and Resources committee and Bailiwick of Jersey, Senator Pierre Horsfall, Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, the First Minister of Northern Ireland David Trimble, Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon, the First Minister of the Welsh Assembley Alun Michael, Scotland's First Minister Donald Dewar and Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair gather during the first meeting of the British Irish Council at Lancaster House in London, December 17. Trimble welcomed the setting up of the council as 'a defining moment for all the peoples of these islands'. AS