(9 Mar 1998) English/Nat
The political wing of the I-R-A, Sinn Fein, has put off a decision on rejoining peace talks in Northern Ireland.
Sinn Fein had been invited to return to the negotiating table on Monday after it had been suspended over two murders which were blamed on the I-R-A by police.
The party's leader, Gerry Adams, says a decision on going back to the talks will be made after a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair later this week.
Sinn Fein officials had been hinting that they would send junior officials into Monday's negotiations.
But at a press conference in Catholic west Belfast, the party leader, Gerry Adams said anyone assuming Sinn Fein would return was underestimating the difficulties caused by the suspension.
The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair has already offered to meet Adams in London on
Thursday, but Adams wants a meeting sooner.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Mr.Blair has subsequently agreed to meet with us, and as soon as that meeting takes place and we have had the opportunity to express our concerns to the British Prime then Sinn Fein will be in the position to judge how and when we re-enter the talks.
SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein leader
The British and Irish governments want the peace negotiations to end by May -
a deadline, ironically, demanded last year by Sinn Fein as essential for the IRA - to which it is unofficially allied - to call a truce.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"But whatever agreement is produced by this stage of the process will be judged on whether it effectively tackles and removes the causes of conflict, and whether it moves also as part of a rolling process or on a transitional basis beyond and towards Irish unity and independence. '
SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein leader
The British and Irish governments in January recommended that negotiators form a new lawmaking assembly for Northern Ireland in which Protestants and Catholics would govern in coalition.
That Belfast assembly would be expected to send representatives into a new cross-border council with the Irish Republic.
The plan won general approval, but Sinn Fein criticised it as likely to ensure Northern Ireland's continued existence as a state separate from the rest of Ireland.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Yesterday Mr. Trimble dismissed these propositions, he is making a huge mistake if he thinks that any nationalist party can sign up to any agreement which does not go as far the fundamental changes which are required of a democratic settlement.
SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein leader
In Sinn Fein's absence, the talks continued among seven other parties at Stormont, the center of British administration for Northern Ireland.
Negotiators concentrated on plans to reform Northern Ireland's predominantly Protestant police force in ways to make it more acceptable to the north's Catholic minority.
In a position paper published Sunday in a Dublin newspaper, Adams called for the police force to be disbanded and replaced with a force at least 40 percent
Catholic.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
SUPER CAPTION: David Trimble, Leader Ulster Unionists
Unionist groups are unhappy too that the British government has agreed to meet the nationalist party despite its recent expulsion to talks.
It believes Sinn Fein is effectively holding Tony Blair to ransom with threats that the party's supporters could turn once again to violence.
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