If the unionist parties failed to engage in negotiations they ran the risk of being by-passed, not by the British and Irish governments, but by the people, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Burke, said last night.
Addressing the annual conference of the British-Irish Association, he rejected the notion that a political agreement which was good for nationalists must be bad for unionists: "This is not so. But is there a unionist leader who is brave enough to admit this publicly?"
He said the decision by the UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, to meet representatives of the Catholic church had been "a bold step, which I applaud".
This weekend observers were awaiting news from Belfast to see in which direction the UUP would lead unionism. "I cannot see that unionist self-interest points in any other direction than entry into inclusive all-party negotiations," said Mr Burke.
Accepting that this was "a traumatic decision" for unionism, he continued: "Would it not be ironic if those who criticised the governments for not adequately consulting them on the Anglo-Irish Agreement, the Downing Street Declaration, and the Framework Document were to spurn the opportunity of full involvement in the negotiations for which these documents were ultimately preparing the way?"
The Minister asked: "Would it not represent a failure of nerve if those who complain about the attention given to the concerns of Sinn Fein were to fail to challenge Sinn Fein's position in direct debate?"
The Irish Government wanted to see all unionist parties in the negotiations, including the PUP and the UDP which had contributed so much to maintaining the loyalist ceasefire and which had the potential to contribute even more to the talks.
Commenting on the IRA interview in An Phoblacht this week, Mr Burke said: "Let me confirm the Taoiseach's statement that the Irish Government expects the entire republican movement to honour the Mitchell Principles."
If negotiations were to be successful, "each and every participant" would be required to compromise on deeply-held positions. "Nationalists and unionists must learn to listen to each other and to understand the hopes, fears and grievances which divide them. Moreover, it is an important principle of these negotiations that no outcome is preordained, or excluded in advance."
Asserting that only those who cared nothing for the future would see comfort in the precarious status quo, Mr Burke continued: "I would suggest that if we cannot, at this stage, realistically aspire to a permanent resolution of the constitutional issue which satisfies the aspirations of all, or nearly all, the people of Northern Ireland, we should attempt to deal with the problem by agreeing to constitutional change in both jurisdictions based on the principle of consent in all its aspects.
"If the parties are confident that both communities will be given reassurance on the constitutional issue, what then can be the objection to the parties joining the governments in achieving a new beginning for relationships within Northern Ireland, within the island of Ireland, or to agreeing new institutions and structures to take account of the totality of these relationships. Surely, this would be in the best interest of all."
"I have no problem in stating without ambiguity that any change in the status of Northern Ireland would only come about with the consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland." He continued: "Those of us who want to unite the Irish people must recognise that it will only ever be achieved by patient and peaceful persuasion based on tolerance and reconciliation."