The chairman of the Northern Ireland peace talks, former US senator Mr George Mitchell, says he is "hopeful" that they will succeed. In an interview with The Irish Times here yesterday, Mr Mitchell said "there has not been sufficient emphasis in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland that this is the first time that a ceasefire and peace talks will be occurring simultaneously".
This situation was "a significant step forward". The last time there was a ceasefire there were no negotiations, and the last time there were negotiations, but without Sinn Fein, there had been no ceasefire.
Asked if he was "apprehensive" about chairing difficult negotiations, Mr Mitchell said: "No, I am looking forward to it." He said it was "premature" to speculate if the negotiations might overrun the term laid down by the British government. He was fully committed to chairing the talks for the prescribed period until next May.
Mr Mitchell said he would be returning to Belfast on Monday and would be meeting British government officials about the procedures for the formal opening of the talks on September 15th.
On Tuesday, he expected Sinn Fein to make a commitment to the Mitchell Principles, laying down non-violence in the search for a peaceful solution and a readiness to accept the outcome of the negotiations. This commitment would be made "orally".
He said he did not know whether the unionist parties would be in the same room as Sinn Fein when the negotiations began. He had heard speculation about the UUP refusing to sit down with Sinn Fein while being prepared to have "proximity talks" through intermediaries. However, he did not know whether this would happen.
The agenda for the substantive talks would be decided by the participants. The two governments had indicated the subjects they wanted to have discussed but it was the participants who had the power to decide the final agenda, said Mr Mitchell.