Adams insists no re-negotiation of Agreement

Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams said today he had no confidence in the willingness of the Northern Secretary Dr John Reid to implement the outstanding aspects of the Belfast Agreement.

Holding a copy of the Agreement, Mr Adams told reporters at Stormont that Sinn Féin would be talking to all pro-Agreement parties but that there would be "no re-negotiation of this contract" into "some form of a unionist document."

There would be no re-negotiation of the Belfast Agreement into "some form of a unionist document," said Mr Adams.

Mr Adams was reacting to the announcement this morning that power-sharing in the North would be suspended with effect from midnight tonight.

"We are in this particular situation because once again unionists threaten the institutions and Dr Reid moved to accommodate them.

"But the problems have to be solved", Mr Adams added, "the two governments have to be held to their obligations".

SDLP leader and Deputy First Minister Mr Mark Durkan welcomed the commitment from the Irish and British governments to continue implementing the Agreement.

"I do believe that we can make determined efforts which can bring the Agreement back in a bigger and better way," he said. "If we are able to agree on a resumption of the institutions then the date of the elections might well go forward."

If we are able to agree on a resumption of the institutions then the date of the elections might well go forward Mr Gerry Adams

DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley has repeated his pledge this morning that he would not negotiate with Sinn Féin while they remained inextricably linked to the IRA. He accused the British and Irish governments of trying to "pump oxygen" into a failed and flawed process.

"What we need to do now is get back to the drawing board and face up to the issues that brought this thing to an end. No government can force its will upon the majority of the electorate," Dr Paisley said. "It has been trying to force on the majority of unionist people something that is unacceptable to them".

Mr Paisley repeated his call for fresh elections and renegotiation to change the Agreement.

Additional reporting: PA