DUP leader told 'talk to Sinn Fein'

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has told the DUP leader that at "some point" his party will have to speak to Sinn Fein.

During Northern Ireland questions in the House of Commons, the Northern Ireland Secretary, responding to a question from the Rev Ian Paisley, said that he could not bar the second largest party from a power-sharing government.

Mr Hain said that Sinn Fein had committed itself to peaceful and democratic means.

The DUP's plan to partially reconstitute the Northern Ireland Assembly without the power-sharing ministerial-level tier in place has been rejected by both Sinn Fein and the SDLP.

And the DUP have refused to sit in any meetings directly involving Sinn Fein at talks called by the British and Irish Governments in an effort to get the political process back on its feet.

In the House of Commons today Mr Hain was adamant that he could not bar a "very important part of the political constituency" from either the Assembly or the power-sharing government.

He said the DUP would sooner or later have to speak to Sinn Fein.

The DUP, however, disagree with the assessment made by the International Monitoring Commission that there is no longer a "terrorist threat" and have rejected the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning finding on weapons put "beyond use" as photographic evidence was not supplied.

Both Sinn Fein and the SDLP have rejected proposals advanced by the DUP that would allow the Assembly to be recalled but stop short of full power-sharing as no locally elected ministers would sit in the executive as NIO ministers would be retained.

This has stymied recent attempts by both the Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to reinvigorate the devolution of local government in Northern Ireland.

Conservatives have also backed calls for the decommissioning process to be made public. During questions today, Sir Nicholas Winterton asked for more transparency in the process. Mr Hain asked Sir Nicholas whether or not he was questioning the integrity of the Commission and its Clerical witnesses. The NI Secretary of State asserted that Sir Nicholas should take account of the Commission's findings.

Following allegations of information gathering by Republicans, the Assembly was suspended by the then Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid, in 2002.

(SP/GB)