The president of Sinn Féin is pressing the Irish and British governments to put a four-week time limit on next month's review of the Belfast Agreement.
Mr Gerry Adams, in letters to the two governments, has also outlined his view for the agenda and conduct of the review. It must include an assessment by the two governments of their own shortcomings in the implementation of the commitments made.
"The failure by the two governments to fully implement the agreement plus their willingness at times to step outside the terms of the agreement, must be subject for the upcoming review," he said in a statement yesterday.
He said the review should last no longer than one month, should include inputs from a range of interests and its results should be published promptly.
In an apparent reference to the DUP, he warned: "While we welcome the assertion by both governments that it will not be a review of the fundamentals of the agreement, we remain concerned that some parties may seek a renegotiation of the agreement. There is an onus on both governments to make clear that this will not happen or that anti-agreement parties will be allowed to use the review for their own ends. The review is not a substitute for working political institutions."
Referring to the suspension of Stormont, announced in October 2002, he said: "The suspension is itself a breach of the agreement and undermines substantially any assertion by the governments that its fundamentals are not up for renegotiation. The suspension of the Assembly should be lifted immediately."
He said the review should examine the operation of the political institutions; human rights and the equality agenda, including victims; demilitarisation; the issue of arms; policing and justice; and prisoners and related matters.
Sinn Féin also called for the review process to re-endorse the agreement; demanded a referendum on Irish unity; an expansion of North-South activity and structures; an all-Ireland parliamentary forum; an all-Ireland civic forum; as well as action on the Irish language, symbols and emblems and on the issues of sanctions and the International Monitoring Commission.