The inclusion of a territorial claim to Northern Ireland in the Irish Constitution was equivalent to building a Berlin Wall between the two parts of Ireland, the Democratic Unionist Party leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, said yesterday.
Dr Paisley was speaking at the Northern Ireland Forum during a debate on Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution, which saw sharp exchanges between the DUP and the Ulster Unionist Party on their different approaches to the Stormont talks.
Comments made by the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, earlier yesterday on Articles 2 and 3 drew angry reactions from unionists at the Forum. In a BBC interview, Dr Mowlam refused to give an opinion on their removal, saying the issue would be addressed in talks and that her own views were irrelevant.
Dr Paisley proposed a DUP motion condemning "the illegal and immoral territorial claim" and called for its "immediate and unilateral removal". It was the building of a Berlin Wall by the Irish Republic, he said. "Unilaterally they did it, unilaterally they have to take it away." An amendment proposed by the UUP condemned "the territorial claim" but called on all unionists "to unite within the framework of the talks in order to bring about its eventual removal". Prof Antony Alcock of the UUP said that while he supported the thrust of the DUP motion he was "not so sure" Articles 2 and 3 were illegal. He condemned the stance taken by the British government.
"We cannot believe that successive British governments can actually declare themselves neutral in a conflict between its citizens, its kin, in a state created by itself nearly 400 years ago, and the encroachments of an imperialistic neighbour, indeed inviting its representatives to set up shop in the land it covets," he said.
Prof Alcock urged the DUP to join in talks, saying that if all the unionist parties withdrew from the process, the talks might collapse, "but then the two governments could simply come to a cosy agreement on the three strands". He said that in the past 25 years constitutional unionism had "lost all the positive power it ever had".
The Northern Ireland Women's Coalition proposed an amendment calling on the Government to abide by the conclusions of any agreement between the parties at Stormont talks in relation to Articles 2 and 3, and urging all parties to return to talks.
The leader of Alliance, Lord Alderdice, said his party believed Article 2 and 3 should be removed, but it was his view that the Government had already committed itself to abiding by any agreement reached at Stormont. Members of the small loyalist parties, the UDP and the PUP, accused the DUP and the UK Unionist Party of "running away" from the talks and of pursuing "failed tactics of the past". In the vote, the DUP motion was carried after the Women's Coalition amendment was defeated and the UUP withdrew its amendment. However, the chairman of the Forum ruled that he would have to "negative" the motion, on the grounds that it would not command support across the traditions in Northern Ireland, in accordance with Forum regulations.
Later the Women's Coalition leader, Ms Monica McWilliams, accused the DUP of using the Forum as an alternative talks process, saying the DUP was "repeatedly putting motions to the Forum regarding matters that are in the remit of the talks". She called on the chairman to refuse to take such motions in the future. "The Forum and the talks were set up for very different purposes. The legislation reflects that," she said.
In other developments yesterday, Dr Mowlam ruled out the possibility of allowing a parallel talks process involving the DUP and the UK Unionist Party when negotiations resume at Stormont on Tuesday.