A leading member of the Ulster Unionist Party has said that the key question for unionists in next month's peace talks was "can we convince ourselves that those parties who now eschew violence are serious?" Addressing the Glencree Summer School in Co Wicklow on Saturday, Dr Chris McGimpsey, a UUP member of Belfast City Council, said the Sinn Fein goal was obvious - "they want to get into talks without handing in arms". However, there was no list of goals achievable by the constitutional and democratic parties.
Dr McGimpsey said a process of consultation was taking place in the unionist community on whether it was worthwhile to enter the talks in these circumstances, especially as there was doubt about the IRA ceasefire. "We need to disabuse our people of the idea that if they (Sinn Fein) lose an argument, you get a bullet.
"The UK Unionists are not convinced. They are walking out. We are not convinced. I don't believe the IRA; the ceasefire is another tactical use of the arms struggle."
Mr Tom English, of the Ulster Democratic Party (UDP), said loyalist prisoners who had approved the loyalist ceasefire three years ago watched with disbelief as Sinn Fein entered the cleansing process.
He said 14 republican prisoners had their Category A status removed recently. Prisoners were transferred to either the Republic or Northern Ireland. He warned: "We cannot see loyalist prisoners who have stood by the ceasefire for three years get nothing back. Sinn Fein/IRA, after two weeks, seem to be getting concessions. It looks as if the two governments are buying the Provos' peace."
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