Flanagan: ceasefire still uncertain

RUC Chief Expresses Doubts over Ceasefire

His comments came as Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams and other leading party members - including chief negotiator Martin McGuinness - are in the United States where they have received a rapturous welcome. They are attending a fund raising dinner in New York which is expected to put some £300,000 into party coffers.

But while they were welcomed in America as peacemakers - and have met President Clinton's security adviser Sandy Berger in the White House - doubts remain in the mind of Northern Ireland's most senior police officer.

"They certainly have not gone away," Mr Flanagan said. It is "much to early" to say that the ceasefire is permanent, he said in a BBC interview.

The Chief Constable gave an assessment of the situation to the Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam at end of last month which she decided had enabled her to invite Sinn Fein to enter the multi-party talks on the future of Northern Ireland which are due to resume later this month.

He said that, while the IRA had not carried out actions in the six weeks after the calling of the new ceasefire: "We will be monitoring very closely on a daily basis on the days and weeks ahead what level of activity - or preferably absence of activity there is on the ground."

Sinn Fein Leaders Meet Berger

Adams: compromise is king

Both sides described their discussion on Northern Ireland as positive. Mr Berger expressed his appreciation of the IRA's decision in July to restore its ceasefire and he stressed the importance the United States administration attached to it being maintained.

Earlier, Mr Adams had promised that Sinn Fein would be ready to compromise when it attended this month's round table talks on Northern Ireland.

Speaking at a news conference in Washington, he said "compromise, compromise, compromise" would be Sinn Fein's approach to the talks, due to begin on September 15th. "It is in a spirit of generosity, accommodation and preparedness to come to a compromise that we go into these talks," he said.

He described the IRA ceasefire as "a complete cessation", and said Sinn Fein would pursue the talks to the last. "Our commitment to a negotiated settlement is forever. It isn't a whim, it isn't temporary. We are totally and utterly committed to our peace strategy," he added.

Mr Adams said he and his delegation - chief negotiator Martin McGuinnes and the first Sinn Fein member of the Irish parliament, Caoimhghin O Caolain - were in Washington to thank his American supporters.

They are also seeking backing for Sein Fein's approach to this month's multi-party talks, which he described as "the best opportunity for peace this century".