Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said yesterday he wants to see "orange and green united in harmony" as he marked the first anniversary of the IRA's statement that it had ended its armed campaign.
Mr Adams said he was "not surprised" by the lack of progress towards a settlement in the North since last year's announcement.
"I would refer you to my remarks at the time when I said that those who weren't in favour of change would not simply roll over and embrace it.
"And I would also remind you of what [ former Unionist leader] James Molyneaux said at the time of the initial IRA cessation of violence, that this was the most destabilising thing to happen in the history of this place," he added.
Flanked at a press conference by South Down Assembly member Caitriona Ruane and Donegal councillor Padraig MacLochlainn, Mr Adams described last year's IRA statement as "pivotal" and "ground breaking".
He said "thinking unionists" had come to terms with the implications of the statement, which was still producing "a ripple effect within unionism". But he criticised unionism as a negative philosophy.
"Unionism is a defensive philosophy and a dependent philosophy which is dependent upon the union, upon a government in London.
"It is a negative, 'not an inch', 'what we have we hold', 'no surrender' movement. Ian Paisley's entire career has been built on scaremongering of that kind."
Describing the North as a "dysfunctional statelet", Mr Adams said: "I am sure political unionism would not respond kindly to me making the kind of remarks I have been making.
"But unionism is going nowhere unless it decides it is going to be part of the type of agreement which allows us all to participate.
"To have orange and green united in peace and harmony and for nationalists no longer to have to be prepared to accept second-class citizenship is our aim," he said.
Mr Adams said he was not surprised by the agreement of Minister for Justice Michael McDowell with Northern Secretary Peter Hain's assessment this week that the IRA was no longer centrally involved in the area of criminality.
"I wasn't surprised by it because that's the reality of it," he said.
But DUP assembly member Edwin Poots yesterday accused Mr Hain of "bluffing".
"Given the government's track record in gauging the republican movement's intentions, the DUP will not be bluffed into accepting Peter Hain's assessment.
"We will make our judgment on the IRA's activity based upon a wide range of sources.
"The DUP will not be falling for the propaganda of the government.
"We remain true to our manifesto commitments that there can be no place in the government of Northern Ireland for Sinn Féin whilst the IRA remains in existence and engaged in illegal activity".