Pro-Agreement parties evaluate process

Northern Ireland’s politicians have concluded round-table talks aimed at bolstering the crisis-hit Good Friday Agreement.

Talks chaired by the Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid and Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen at Hillsborough Castle were expected to centre upon pro-Agreement unionist concerns about IRA activity. However, Ulster Unionist leader, and First Minister, David Trimble was unable to attend. His party was represented by Dermot Nesbitt.

The meeting today was a prelude to talks next week involving British and Irish premieres Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern.

The Ulster Unionist Party have expressed their doubts in recent weeks about the good faith of republicans in the wake of street violence in Belfast, allegations of IRA involvement in the Castlereagh police station break-in and continued revelations about the terror group’s activities in Colombia.

In a speech to party activists in Belfast last night, SDLP leader Mark Durkan said that the process must not be allowed to be "constantly dogged by uncertainty".

At the launch of his party’s new logo, the Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan warned republicans and unionists against putting the political institutions at risk.

“The institutions of the Agreement face a huge task in turning our economy and divided society around. We cannot afford to have them constantly dogged by uncertainty arising from party political posturing or paramilitary wrongdoing. They must not be held hostage to the untoward conduct of those with ulterior undemocratic agendas. Destabilising the institutions will only serve to destabilise our streets further, at a time when tensions are already sky high.

“At today’s meeting, I will be underlining the need for all political leaders to work to secure the Agreement. We must all meet regularly in the Implementation Group in a range of formats to overcome all the problems facing our peace process.”

(AMcE)