18/01/2007

Adams offers to meet dissident republicans

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has offered to meet with hard-line republicans in an attempt to discuss the party's strategy ahead of a meeting at the end of the month to discuss their standing on the issue of policing in Northern Ireland.

Over the past few months, dissident republicans have issued a number of death threats against Mr Adams as well as other senior members of Sinn Fein in what is believed to be an attempt to disrupt the political process and show their disapproval at the party's contemplation of changing their policy on policing.

The Sinn Fein leader today said that he was prepared to meet with members of the real IRA, the Continuity IRA and Irish National Liberation Army to explain why his party's strategy was the best way forward for republicanism.

Gerry Adams said: "I do not want to see any other people killed or imprisoned as a result of their activities.

"I want to meet with these organisations to brief them in detail on current developments and impress upon them my belief that the current Sinn Fein strategy is the best way forward for our community and for the wider republican struggle."

Mr Adams added: "The goal of a united Ireland remains absolute but the means by which it can be achieved no longer needs to involve armed action.

"The conditions which in the past led to republican armed actions have fundamentally changed.

"Armed struggle was never a republican principle. It was an option of last resort in the absence of any other alternative.

"But there is now an alternative. There is a peaceful way to achieve political change, equality, justice and ultimately Irish freedom."

The Sinn Fein leadership are expected to meet in Dublin for the conference on the policing issue on January 28.

(EF)

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