VISIT PUSHES PARTIES ALONG THE POLITICAL FAST TRACK
Visit pushes parties along the political fast track
By William Graham
Political Correspondent
FIRST Minister David Trimble is to use next Monday's meeting with Gerry Adams to press the Sinn Fein leadership for the IRA to take "the next necessary step of actual decommissioning".
Martin McGuinness was yesterday appointed by Sinn Fein to liaise with the international decommissioning body and immediately had talks with the Commission, headed by General John de Chastelain.
This was a further crucial development in the fast track of political confidence building just before President Bill Clinton's arrival in Belfast today.
On Tuesday, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams made a key statement that violence must be over. And just a few hours later First Minister Mr Trimble invited Mr Adams and other political leaders to an important meeting at Stormont on Monday to discuss the way ahead.
The momentum continued yesterday with the announcement that Mr McGuinness had been nominated by SF to work with the decommissioning body.
Last night First Minister Mr Trimble said this decision was "a sensible move in the right direction which is long overdue".
Mr Trimble said: "We shall now see by their actions whether they are sincere about ending violence for good. Disarmament is part of the agreement and it must be carried out in full.
"Republicans can play no part in Northern Ireland's government if unionists do not trust them. That trust can only start to be built by the commencement of disarmament and an ending of all forms of paramilitary violence. That is what Sinn Fein signed up to under the agreement.
"In the Assembly and in the consultations starting next week, I, as First Minister, will be pressing the leadership of Sinn Fein to take the next necessary step of actual decommissioning."
Mr Trimble also called on any groups which have not yet appointed a representative to the decommissioning commission to do so immediately.
Sinn Fein president Mr Adams yesterday spoke about ongoing political developments.
"This peace process has been about, and is about removing the causes of conflict, creating justice, and righting wrongs. We see the Good Friday agreement as the beginning of a transitional phase to bring about a democratic peace settlement.
"On Good Friday a deal was done, an agreement was made on a range of issues from demilitarisation through decommissioning, to the prisoners, and on constitutional matters and institutions including all Ireland structures.
"Some of those structures (the executive) should have been in place by now. That has not been done. And given the events of recent months there should be a huge incentive for it to be done, but we understand that the unionists are hesitant," Mr Adams said.
Mr Adams said that Sinn Fein saw the visit of President Bill Clinton, like his last visit, as an opportunity to build dynamic into the process and that the visit would become a catalyst.
"That is what my statement on Tuesday was about. It was a Sinn Fein initiative to move the situation on, to move into the executive, to move into real talks with the unionists. I want to welcome David Trimble's response to that. And the announcement of Martin McGuinness's appointment as Sinn Fein representative to meet the international body on decommissioning is in the same spirit," Mr Adams said.
Mr Adams added that he spoke for Sinn Fein "and our position in all of is governed, as after all we are Irish republicans, by our overall goals of Irish unity, but also by the commitments which we made on Good Friday which we will keep, and we act in good faith in all of this."
Alliance general secretary Richard Good said that in two days Sinn Fein has helped the peace process take two significant steps forward and that was to be welcomed.
"The Good Friday agreement demands that all of us make political movement and at time this is particularly challenging.
"The statement by Gerry Adams and the announcement of Mr McGuinness's appointment are encouraging signs that all the parties who signed up to the agreement are accepting these challenges," Mr Good said.
Meanwhile, Kenny McClinton has resigned from his position in liaising between the decommissioning commission and the LVF. There have been complaints from this sector of loyalist paramilitarism that the British government have not recognised the LVF ceasefire and refuse to reciprocate over the prisoners issue.
Families Against Intimidation and Terror development officer Glyn Roberts said the Sinn Fein statement by Mr Adams was highly significant and if it really meant that the IRA war was completely over loyalist paramilitaries should give a positive response.
"Loyalist paramilitaries have escaped a great deal of media and political pressure to say that their own war is over.
"In the past year loyalist paramilitaries have been involved in dreadful acts of sectarian intimidation during Drumcree and countless other incidents of so called punishment shootings and beatings.
"All of us should demand that loyalist paramilitaries state that their own violence now belongs to the past," Mr Roberts said.
By William Graham
Political Correspondent
FIRST Minister David Trimble is to use next Monday's meeting with Gerry Adams to press the Sinn Fein leadership for the IRA to take "the next necessary step of actual decommissioning".
Martin McGuinness was yesterday appointed by Sinn Fein to liaise with the international decommissioning body and immediately had talks with the Commission, headed by General John de Chastelain.
This was a further crucial development in the fast track of political confidence building just before President Bill Clinton's arrival in Belfast today.
On Tuesday, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams made a key statement that violence must be over. And just a few hours later First Minister Mr Trimble invited Mr Adams and other political leaders to an important meeting at Stormont on Monday to discuss the way ahead.
The momentum continued yesterday with the announcement that Mr McGuinness had been nominated by SF to work with the decommissioning body.
Last night First Minister Mr Trimble said this decision was "a sensible move in the right direction which is long overdue".
Mr Trimble said: "We shall now see by their actions whether they are sincere about ending violence for good. Disarmament is part of the agreement and it must be carried out in full.
"Republicans can play no part in Northern Ireland's government if unionists do not trust them. That trust can only start to be built by the commencement of disarmament and an ending of all forms of paramilitary violence. That is what Sinn Fein signed up to under the agreement.
"In the Assembly and in the consultations starting next week, I, as First Minister, will be pressing the leadership of Sinn Fein to take the next necessary step of actual decommissioning."
Mr Trimble also called on any groups which have not yet appointed a representative to the decommissioning commission to do so immediately.
Sinn Fein president Mr Adams yesterday spoke about ongoing political developments.
"This peace process has been about, and is about removing the causes of conflict, creating justice, and righting wrongs. We see the Good Friday agreement as the beginning of a transitional phase to bring about a democratic peace settlement.
"On Good Friday a deal was done, an agreement was made on a range of issues from demilitarisation through decommissioning, to the prisoners, and on constitutional matters and institutions including all Ireland structures.
"Some of those structures (the executive) should have been in place by now. That has not been done. And given the events of recent months there should be a huge incentive for it to be done, but we understand that the unionists are hesitant," Mr Adams said.
Mr Adams said that Sinn Fein saw the visit of President Bill Clinton, like his last visit, as an opportunity to build dynamic into the process and that the visit would become a catalyst.
"That is what my statement on Tuesday was about. It was a Sinn Fein initiative to move the situation on, to move into the executive, to move into real talks with the unionists. I want to welcome David Trimble's response to that. And the announcement of Martin McGuinness's appointment as Sinn Fein representative to meet the international body on decommissioning is in the same spirit," Mr Adams said.
Mr Adams added that he spoke for Sinn Fein "and our position in all of is governed, as after all we are Irish republicans, by our overall goals of Irish unity, but also by the commitments which we made on Good Friday which we will keep, and we act in good faith in all of this."
Alliance general secretary Richard Good said that in two days Sinn Fein has helped the peace process take two significant steps forward and that was to be welcomed.
"The Good Friday agreement demands that all of us make political movement and at time this is particularly challenging.
"The statement by Gerry Adams and the announcement of Mr McGuinness's appointment are encouraging signs that all the parties who signed up to the agreement are accepting these challenges," Mr Good said.
Meanwhile, Kenny McClinton has resigned from his position in liaising between the decommissioning commission and the LVF. There have been complaints from this sector of loyalist paramilitarism that the British government have not recognised the LVF ceasefire and refuse to reciprocate over the prisoners issue.
Families Against Intimidation and Terror development officer Glyn Roberts said the Sinn Fein statement by Mr Adams was highly significant and if it really meant that the IRA war was completely over loyalist paramilitaries should give a positive response.
"Loyalist paramilitaries have escaped a great deal of media and political pressure to say that their own war is over.
"In the past year loyalist paramilitaries have been involved in dreadful acts of sectarian intimidation during Drumcree and countless other incidents of so called punishment shootings and beatings.
"All of us should demand that loyalist paramilitaries state that their own violence now belongs to the past," Mr Roberts said.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0210
Published Date: 03-Sep-98
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