Ireland

DUP to seek new agreement after election

The DUP is to demand a new agreement in negotiations after the British general election, its leadership said today.

Tue May 29 2001 - 01:00

The DUP is to demand a new agreement in negotiations after the British general election, its leadership said today.

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We are confident that we are going to receive the mandate of the unionist community on June 7th.
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The DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley.

Predicting his party was "on the verge of a significant breakthrough for unionism" in the election DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley said his party would be pressing for seven principles to be applied in the talks.

Dr Paisley said his party would be advocating in the talks:

  • devolution and working for a democratic, fair and accountable Assembly;
  • the facilitation in any talks process of the DUP's refusal to negotiate directly with paramilitary-linked parties;
  • the exclusion of politicians "not committed to exclusively peaceful and democratic means" from the Northern Ireland Executive;
  • paramilitary arms to be decommissioned before any bar to a Cabinet post could be lifted;
  • any relationship between the Northern Ireland Executive and the Government being made fully accountable to the Assembly;
  • the restoration of the morale and effectiveness of the police and an end to any "sectarian recruitment policy";
  • genuine equality for all men under the law, making them equally subject to the law including equal treatment in the distribution of funds to unionist areas from British government resources.

"We are confident that we are going to receive the mandate of the unionist community on June 7th," Mr Paisley said, announcing his team of negotiators for the talks after the elections. "We, therefore, intend today to spell out our way ahead."

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"Today we reveal the people who will be negotiating on our behalf and the principles which will underpin the negotiations.

"I myself will lead the team which will include our deputy leader Peter Robinson, party secretary Nigel Dodds, Gregory Campbell our security spokesman Maurice Morrow and Ian Paisley Jnr."

Dr Paisley said the principles outlined by his party would set the context in which they would approach the process and offer the electorate an opportunity to endorse them at the Westminster and local government elections.

He accused Ulster Unionist Party leader Mr David Trimble of concealing the details of a deal hammered out prior to the election which would enable the SDLP to back policing reforms and would, he claimed, once again benefit nationalists.

PA