Sinn Féin is rejecting fresh demands to back new policing in the North. Pressure mounted on Mr Gerry Adams yesterday to meet the new Chief Constable-designate Mr Hugh Orde to discuss Sinn Féin's opposition to new policing arrangements.
The call came from Mr Denis Bradley, vice-chairman of the Policing Board, who said he understood republican problems on policing but added it was "an outrage" that they refused to talk to the police. Mr Bradley helped broker contacts between the British government and republicans in the 1970s and 80s when the IRA campaign was at its height.
His call was endorsed by Mr Richard Haass, the US special envoy to Northern Ireland, who has repeatedly called for Sinn Féin involvement in policing. Mr Orde said he would meet Mr Adams, or anyone interested in making a positive contribution.
They were speaking at a joint press conference following a meeting between Mr Haass and members of the Policing Board.
"The starting point for Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness for Gerry Kelly, is to talk to Hugh Orde. I acknowledged that the British government, the Irish Government should talk to Sinn Féin in 1972, 1976, 1984, 1994 and that dialogue led to some resolutions of the conflict. It is outrageous that Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness do not talk to Hugh Orde," Mr Bradley said.
But Mr Adams, speaking at Stormont after a meeting with Mr Haass, said his party's efforts were directed at those who controlled policing policy, namely the two governments, and not with the board or the chief constable.
"The Good Friday agreement is very clear on this," he said. "What is required is depoliticised, civic, accountable policing. Our focus has been about bringing that about. Denis Bradley apparently is prepared to accept less than us, so it's hardly surprising that he's saying what he has."
Mr Adams said neither the incoming Chief Constable nor the Policing Board has the power "to do what needs to be done" to create a democratic police service. "Who has that power? - Mr Blair, John Reid, [security minister] Jane Kennedy . . . the Taoiseach and members of some of the other parties."