Irish P.M. Says Breakthrough Possible
The Irish Prime Minister, John Bruton, says he is hopeful of progress towards peace in Northern Ireland. He's said he believes it is still possible for Sinn Fein to enter all-party talks in Belfast next month - if the IRA ends its campaign of violence for good.
Mr Bruton was speaking at the Oxford Union university debating society. Later today, he'll meet Tony Blair for the first time as Prime Minister.
Mr Bruton said a detailed plan for peace in Northern Ireland was already in place. Made up of two elements, the first involves peace talks with all political parties as well as the British and Irish governments, while the second is based upon an end to IRA violence.
"Everything is now in place to end the agony of Northern Ireland," Mr Bruton said. Claiming that there was now an "unparalleled" opportunity to end the conflict, he urged the IRA to "throw away for good the crutch of violence or threatened violence" and "unreservedly enter the political process".
Mr Bruton told the BBC that Sinn Fein could join the talks next month if the IRA
announced a genuine and lasting ceasefire.
"If the IRA have a ceasefire, Sinn Fein can take part in the talks," he said.
Asked whether that alone would be enough to guarantee Sinn Fein a place at the talks next month, Mr Bruton said: "That depends on the nature of the ceasefire announcement, whether it's believable and what actions accompany it to create confidence that it is an irreversible ceasefire, not just a tactic."
He said he was looking for Mr Blair to inject "new momentum" into the peace
process.
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Mo Mowlam: given warning
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Earlier, a Unionist politician warned the new Northern Ireland Secretary that the loyalist ceasefire would end if meetings were held with Sinn Fein in the absence of an unequivocal IRA ceasefire.
Gary McMichael, the leader of the Ulster Democratic Party - which functions as the political voice of the outlawed Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) - warned Mo Mowlam against any change in the policy of not holding a dialogue with Sinn Fein until the IRA declares a ceasefire.
"The conditions for a dialogue with Sinn Fein are clear," Mr McMichael said. "There must be an unequivocal ceasefire." He added: "We wouldn't be interested in being part of a process where republicans are able to gain access to the talks on the basis of a clearly tactical ceasefire...The Combined Loyalist Military Command would have no reasonable benefit to hold their ceasefire."
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