THE Sinn Fein president said yesterday all the signs were that the British government was not going to respond adequately or clearly to propositions put to it by the SDLP leader.
Mr Gerry Adams insisted that the propositions drawn up by himself and Mr John Hume and communicated to Mr Major by the SDLP leader "were reasonable, made common sense and would mean republicans having to go a long distance".
Republican sources have confirmed the basic elements of the package as the removal of decommissioning as a precondition for talks or within talks; the setting of an agreed but not inflexible timeframe for the talks; a broad programme of "confidence-building" measures; and direct entry of Sinn Fein into substantive negotiations.
The requirement for Sinn Fein's direct entry into talks is a "bottom line" requirement for republicans. "Fudging" on this is unacceptable.
Mr Adams said the basis on which he and Mr Hume had proceeded was that an unequivocal restoration of an IRA cessation would lead to "proper talks", and that the British government would offer a signal to that effect. If it did not do so clearly and unambiguously, that made the task - undertaken by Mr Hume and himself difficult.
The onus was now on everybody to ensure "that the British government are persuaded to take the sensible view". The British would have to show they were willing to match their rhetoric with actions.
Sinn Fein remained committed to its peace strategy, "and whatever party refuses to engage, or to assist in making peace, all they can do is to postpone the opportunity". Mr Adams called on Mr Major to deal with the proposals in a fair way.
He said: "Everyone knows that negotiations must underpin change. That is why the unionists are afraid of negotiations - because they are afraid of change.
"For a British government to play a leadership role, Mr Major would have to preside over a negotiating process which would usher in such change. We in Sinn Fein want to see fundamental change ... Others want to see less. No one really knows what amount of progress or change would come out of those negotiations.
"I think that what has underpinned Mr Major's attitude so far is that he is not prepared - maybe for good reasons - to usher in or to preside over a process of real negotiations, of honest dialogue, which would bring in the type of change which is required. I hope I am wrong in that."
In television interviews in Brussels yesterday, Mr Hume said he believed confidentiality was essential at this delicate stage.
He said: "I think it should remain confidential until there is agreement and until there is peace in the streets, and all this leakage whoever is doing it isn't interested, in my opinion, in achieving peace in our streets."