Democratic Unionist Party leader the Rev Ian Paisley today called for a "new beginning" in the Northern Ireland peace process saying the Belfast Agreement was now dead.
Ian Paisley addresses the media outside Number 10 Downing Street today. Photo: Getty
"I think it should be given a reasonable burial," he told reporters following talks in Downing Street with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
But the Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, speaking before his party met with Mr Blair this afternoon, said the Agreement was an international treaty voted for by people on the island of Ireland.
If Mr Paisley wanted to be a First Minster in a devolved Northern Ireland Government would have to share power with a Sinn Fein deputy, Mr Adams added.
Mr Paisley ruled any prospect of such power sharing with Sinn Fein. "No, I don't see it because I don't trust them and the people don't trust them," he said.
Mr Paisley, whose DUP is now the biggest unionist party in the North, said that he wanted to see a role given to those Northern Ireland Assembly members who were prepared to sign up to exclusively peaceful means.
Mr Paisley said that any moves towards peace in Northern Ireland now depended on complete and verifiable decommissioning of its weapons by the IRA as well as an end to "criminality".
"Until we have that we don't have a safe foundation," he said. Calling for a "new beginning" in the political process he said: "That new beginning outlaws all who outlaw themselves by clinging to violence."
He suggested that some role could be found for Assembly members "who want to support democracy" in dealing with issues such as planning, education and marches. However he refused to be drawn on whether he had discussed detailed proposals with the Prime Minister.
Today's talks are Mr Blair's first meetings with the Northern Ireland political leaders since the British general election.