NELSON Mandela has met leading political figures from battle-scarred Northern Ireland and spoken of the importance of compromise between enemies. “I was very encouraged to see that they are very committed to peace and that whatever the problems that confront them, they seem to be making a serious effort to address them,” Mandela told journalists. “The most important thing to stress, amongst others, is one of compromise, the ability to accommodate your adversary and to build mutual confidence,” he said. The former South African president had talks in Dublin with fellow Nobel Peace prize winner John Hume, head of the moderate Catholic SDLP party in British-ruled Northern Ireland. He also met republicans Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, from the IRA’s Sinn Fein political ally, and Sam Foster from the pro-British Ulster Unionist Party during his visit to the Irish capital. Adams said Sinn Fein briefed Mandela on the current state of the peace process.