Sinn Fein Accept Blair's Offer, And Begin Talks With Irish Officials.
Gerry Adams, President of Sinn Fein, has had talks with senior Irish civil servants.
Irish Prime Minister John Bruton gave the go-ahead for the meeting following Tony Blair's offer that British government officials would meet Sinn Fein, to try and rebuild the peace process in Northern Ireland.
"I have authorised in the past week officials to meet Sinn Fein with a view to seeing whether there is an imminent (IRA) ceasefire...if there is a genuine prospect of a ceasefire, a meeting can be organised to see if we can help to bring that about," Mr Bruton said.
Mr Adams would not comment on the details of the talks, except to say that it had been a constructive day, and that he had asserted the rights of the electorate.
Adams Accepts Blair's Offer
He has also accepted Tony Blair's offer to get
talks moving again on the future of Northern Ireland. Mr Adams said that arrangements are already underway and a meeting with British government officials and could take place as early as next week.
The British Prime Minister said talks would occur "provided events on the ground here and elsewhere do not make that impossible" - a warning that there must be no IRA outrages while any talks were on-going.
However, the Sinn Fein leader said he could not speak for the IRA or guarantee a ceasefire. "We have neither the responsibility or the authority or the ability to negotiate a ceasefire." he said.
Mr Adams stressed that the British must recognise Sinn Fein's electoral mandate and involve the party in dialogue on the same basis as all the other parties.
"Because of our commitment to the search for a
lasting peace and without prejudice to our democratic mandate, we will be taking every opportunity, particularly with the two Governments, to address the core issues central to the creation of a meaningful and inclusive process of peace negotiations." he said.
Sinn Fein Disappointed In "Pro Unionist Emphasis"
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McGuinness: Pro Unionist emphasis
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Previously Sinn Fein dismissed the British Prime Minister's remarks on Northern Ireland as "pro-Unionist" although there was never any real doubt that the offer would be accepted.
Martin McGuinness, the MP for Mid-Ulster and one of Sinn Fein's leading strategists said earlier "Many nationalists will be disappointed by the pro-Unionist emphasis in Mr Blair's speech."
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme in response to his party's acceptance of the offer, Mr McGuinness said Sinn Fein wanted to meet officials to find out if there was a route for the party into multi-party talks, so that it could put the case for a new ceasefire to the IRA.
"What we have to do is establish in these discussions with British Government
representatives whether or not we are going to have on offer a real and
meaningful and credible process of peace negotiations, and if we can establish
that then we might have a case to put persuasively to the IRA... Whether or not the IRA will accept that is another matter altogether."
He also complained the Sinn Fein was being victimised at Westminster. He objected to being denied office Commons office facilities because of his refusal to take the MPs Oath of Allegiance.
Former Irish PM Is Cautiously Optimistic
Former Irish Prime Minister Albert Reynolds, who played a key role in helping
to negotiate the 17-month IRA ceasefire which collapsed with the bombing at
Canary Wharf in February last year, said he believed the new contact could lead
to a restoration of the truce, although he has reservations.
"There is such a deep level of distrust between the republican
leadership and the British Government it is going to take gestures of
confidence-building to restore the process. It can be put together."
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