There is more support for the peace process now than there has ever been in the past, Mr Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein told the Assembly. He said support for the process had increased in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing, the killings of the Quinn children in Ballymoney and the meeting last week between Mr David Trimble and Mr Gerry Adams.
Mr McGuinness said: "Last week, David Trimble was very courageous, coming from where he comes from, to meet with the leader of our party." Saying "special consideration" should be given to Mr Oliver Gibson of the DUP, whose niece was killed by the bomb, Mr McGuinness added: "I think that everyone from the island of Ireland who has been involved in this process of conflict resolution over the course of the last four to five years, was very, very struck and very hurt by what happened in Omagh and the implications that that undoubtedly had for all of us within the process." He said people were urging politicians "to do the right thing", to talk to one another and to press on with the implementation of the Belfast Agreement. "The Agreement is about how we end division on this island," he added.
On decommissioning, Mr McGuinness said the two governments had recognised that the issue should not be allowed to hold up the peace process. The object of the exercise, as far as Sinn Fein was concerned, was "to decommission the injustices and inequalities of the past".
Earlier, the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, said the Assembly could not exist without the "related institutions" such as the North/South council.
Mr Adams said unionists and republicans had "inflicted great hurt on each other", and added: "I want to make friends with Dr Paisley and the people he represents.".