The Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, has praised the Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, and the fringe loyalists for re-entering the Stormont talks process yesterday. She told a Confederation of British Industry lunch in Belfast: "I'd like today to recognise the political leadership of David Trimble and the loyalist parties. Their presence in the process is the best guarantee of unionist interests." She said tackling the problems in Northern Ireland required an approach that could command cross-community support. "We want new democratic institutions that are agreed and that can work. They need to be part of a wider comprehensive settlement to make that possible. They need to reflect all the relationships that matter to the people of Northern Ireland.
"And in practical terms, a new local assembly, a new relationship between the two parts of Ireland and more developed relations between London and Dublin make good common sense and reflect a new approach to the challenges facing these islands in the future. And of course any new arrangements must be founded on agreement and consent. Founded on the secure triple-lock guarantee.
"We are currently seeking agreement on a procedural motion to complete the opening plenary session and secure the launch of the three strands of substantive negotiations on a full inclusive basis.
"Much progress has been made in a range of consultations over the past few days. The search for a peaceful settlement involves the parties working together for agreement. "But it is also crucial that peace and reconciliation are built from the bottom up too. It's not a case of one approach or the other - we have to do both," Dr Mowlam said.
Mr Trimble was invited to the lunch but decided to withdraw. However, he said the presence of the Sinn Fein chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, was only a "minor factor". The main reason, he told UTV, was pressure of time because of his party's attendance at the talks. Mr McLaughlin said Mr Trimble's decision to boycott the lunch was unconstructive: "Really he should explain what could possibly be achieved by refusing to come to the same building as us for lunch. His position is a bit hard to explain."
Commenting on the talks, the chairman of the CBI in the North, Mr Bill Tosht, said the business community required, in fact demanded, stability. "We hope and expect that substantive issues will rapidly be arrived at."
The UUP leader came under fire from the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, the Rev Ian Paisley, for taking part in a talks process which was "a snare into the republican objective of a united Ireland".
"Mr Trimble and his party have quickly capitulated in the wake of the [Markethill] blast and have now literally been bombed to the negotiating table."
Dr Paisley said Mr Trimble was "devoid of any courage or political morality" and had "yet again demonstrated that he cannot be trusted to defend the Union".
These sentiments were echoed by the DUP's deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson, who said it was "a dark day for unionism". He accused Mr Trimble of caving in on the key issues of the chairmanship, the talks agenda and decommissioning.
"This process will end in tears for Mr Trimble and in disaster for the Ulster Unionist Party. The process is incapable of delivering an outcome favourable to unionism. It is designed and rigged to the advantage of the pan-nationalist front.
"Today is a dark day for unionism. Today, a leader of unionism sits at the negotiating table with the leadership of IRA terrorism, with the Union on the table for negotiation," Mr Robinson said.
However, the UUP's return to Stormont was described as "an encouraging step" by the deputy leader of the Alliance Party, Mr Seamus Close. "This opens the real possibility of us all getting down to substantive talks which is the desire of the vast majority of the people of Northern Ireland."