(30 Jun 1999) English/Nat
Negotiators in the Northern Ireland peace talks are facing a midnight deadline to find a formula to resolve a dispute which has stalled the launch of the province's regional government.
The British and Irish governments are hoping both sides in the Belfast talks will finally break their long-running deadlock to save last year's Good Friday agreement.
Both the Protestant and Catholic parties say they are optimistic that an agreement will be reached.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern are hoping to hammer out a deal with the Ulster Unionists, Sinn Fein and the moderate Catholics of the Social Democratic and Labor Party.
Midnight on Wednesday marks the deadline for the current round of Northern Ireland peace talks, and both sides remain hopeful that an agreement will be reached.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams referred to Wednesday as D-Day.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think it's now the day to do the deed. It's now the day to make decisions. It's decision day for the politicians here and for the two governments and we're here to make this D-Day for the people of this island and we hope all of the other parties and the two governments remain focussed on the decisions they're taking here today."
SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein president
The head of the Ulster Unionist party and Northern Ireland First Minister, David Trimble, says the moment of truth has arrived.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The moment of truth has arrived, the moment of truth has arrived for the Republican movement. Faith in the Republican movement includes two things, it includes a political part and a private army linked together in one movement and the moment of truth has arrived. It must decide which of the two it prefers."
SUPER CAPTION: David Trimble, Northern Ireland First Minister and head of Ulster Unionist party
Trimble says a decision must be reached on Wednesday.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Does it prefer the party or the army. It can't keep both any longer. That is what it has to decide today."
SUPER CAPTION: David Trimble, Northern Ireland First Minister and head of Ulster Unionist party
The Ulster Unionists - instrumental in founding Northern Ireland as a predominantly Protestant state 79 years ago - say they now want to govern in partnership with the Catholics.
But they insist they won't let Sinn Fein have two posts in the envisioned 12-member cabinet-style government unless the I-R-A promises to completely disarm by May 2000 - the date specified in the accord.
But Sinn Fein - still committed to Northern Ireland's eventual abolition and with ex-I-R-A commanders prominent in its negotiating team - insists the I-R-A isn't required to do anything but stick to its July 1997 truce.
Adams said his negotiators had achieved unspecified progress on Tuesday in lengthy meetings with Blair and Ahern.
But the Ulster Unionists remained pessimistic that Sinn Fein would give any commitment on I-R-A weapons strong enough to sell to their own already skeptical and divided Protestant supporters.
Democratic Unionist Party leader, the Reverend Ian Paisley, is not involved in the talks but spoke angrily to reporters outside.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"And I want to make it perfectly clear that there is no hope for this country to have armed terrorists that can get in to government and once you get them into government they will never ever be put out. We have IRA men, they have violated their ceasefire. They shouldn't be at the table today and they are still the table."
SOUNDBITE: (English)
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