THE British Prime Minister called last night for an acceleration of the Northern peace process and warned against returning to the "mayhem of the last 25 years if the current round of talks fail.
He declared his wish to end the logjam which followed last week's disturbances in an interview with ITN News. And he dismissed the idea that the current negotiations were nothing more than a damage limitation exercise.
He added. "There's a great reaction to what happened in Drumcree, a considerable amount of anger and frustration. "I share much of that frustration. . .so I think we have to harness the demand for progress in the talks and I shall be trying to make sure those talks progress speedily.
"Let us at last get beyond the talks about procedure and get into the talks about substance. "That is what the government will be trying to do.
The prime minister went on. "The simple truth is this we proceed with these talks and we make them a success, or we go back to the mayhem of the last 25 years. I am not prepared to do that.
"So we will push hard, past the procedural points and on to the real substance in the talks, and I hope we can turn the setback of Drumcree into something that will give real impetus."