The SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, has said he was surprised at the attack levelled against him by Mr John Major, in extracts of the former British prime minister's memoirs published last weekend.
The forthcoming publication describes Mr Hume as a "prickly character" who was "loath to reciprocate unionist concessions" and who became an obstacle to progress in the peace process by constantly taking the side of Sinn Fein.
"I found that amazing and, to be very honest, I didn't even know what he was talking about. My direct talks with John Major were quite straightforward and very friendly," said Mr Hume yesterday.
"When he talks about unionist concessions, I don't know what he is talking about. I wonder do the unionists know what concessions they were offering," he added.
The veteran politician is still recovering at home in Derry from a ruptured intestine resulting in a colostomy, after he took ill in Austria in August.
In an interview with BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback, Mr Hume sounded tired and strained.
"To put it mildly I'm not too well, unfortunately", he said.
But he vehemently rejected claims by Mr Major that the Hume-Adams initiative, which has been viewed as an integral part of the initial stages of the peace process, was "utterly one-sided and skewed" towards a united Ireland.
Mr Hume said his 1993 talks with Mr Adams did not purport to present a solution but were concerned with creating a climate favourable to the start of allparty talks in the North.
He said his own records would prove that the Downing Street Declaration later that year was largely based upon the Hume-Adams proposals.
"They would reveal that there were no concessions to anyone; that it was a genuine attempt to deal with the historical reasons that went to the heart of violence in Ireland.
"By publishing them, I would only be embarrassing the two governments because it would reveal that the Downing Street declaration was based on the talks between Gerry Adams and myself," said Mr Hume.
"He talks of me being prickly - my talks with him were always very positive and we were always discussing a particular document which was a proposed joint declaration of the two governments. I have copies of all those documents to prove what I am saying," he added.
Mr Hume will undergo another operation in the coming weeks but said yesterday he hoped to return to politics when his health returns.
He commended his party colleagues in the SDLP for doing an "outstanding job" and said he had every confidence in them.