Trimble warns of 'short-sighted' republican approach

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has warned that unless there is a dramatic change in the "myopic" position of rebublicans that a "prolonged period of direct rule is inevitable".

Referring to a speech made by Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams earlier this week, Mr Trimble said: "The best that can be said for Mr Adams 'efforts to bring an end to physical force' is that they have yet to succeed."

He said: “Little hope, however, is offered that they will succeed. The assumption seems to be that there will still be further step-by-step approaches to this distant goal… So can I remind republicans that what is required is that there be an immediate and total end of all forms of paramilitary activity, that their part of the total disarmament of all paramilitary organizations should be completed, that being exclusively peaceful means no private armies."

Alluding to the Assembly election results, Mr Trimble said that the bar had been "raised to the point that many now believe a prolonged period of direct rule is now inevitable".

He said: "I think that would be bad for society as a whole, including unionism. But it would be ironic if that was a result of the half-hearted, grudging and minimalist approach of the IRA to the Agreement they claim to support."

Yesterday, The Northern Ireland Secretary of State Paul Murphy and Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen concluding a meeting in Dublin outlined the nature and scope of the Good Friday review process, which is to begin on February 3.

Mr Murphy said that the Assembly election, from which the DUP and Sinn Féin had emerged as the two largest parties, would make reaching an agreement difficult. He insisted that a breakthrough was nonetheless possible, but did not specify a time frame for the end of the review.

Interviewed on BBC NI, the Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley, who is to meet the Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern next week, appeared to claim that everything was open for discussion.

However, the Prime Ministers, with the broad backing of the pro-Agreement parties in Northern Ireland, are seeking a short, sharp and focused review to be completed by Easter.

Following alleged information gathering by paramilitaries within Stormont the Northern Ireland Assembly has been suspended since October 2002.

(SP)