The Ulster Unionist Party has made a resolute demand for a credible start to IRA decommissioning before Sinn Fein can take its seats in a government in Northern Ireland. It has said the party's position will not alter on the issue "now, during or after" the European elections. A strongly worded statement from the UUP was issued after comments from the Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon, yesterday, who said he was surprised that the Ulster Unionists had failed to give a definitive answer on the current proposals aimed at solving the arms deadlock.
"Certainly the basis for a means of resolving this problem was laid in Downing Street and it came as somewhat of a surprise that the Ulster Unionist Party wasn't in a position to react to it on Saturday, because their reaction to it on Friday seemed fairly positive," said Mr Mallon.
He said the arrangement was that each party was to telephone Downing Street to confirm its acceptance of what was agreed and the parties would then proceed from there. "Obviously that didn't happen and I'm not in a position to say why," added Mr Mallon.
The UUP reacted with a statement which stressed that the party leader and First Minister, Mr David Trimble, had not presented proposals as a "final or agreed text" to the meeting of the party's 27 Assembly members on Saturday. "The proposal was incomplete and clearly insufficient in terms of clarity or substance." The UUP "reserved its position" on the proposals after the meeting.
Decommissioning went to the heart of the Belfast Agreement, which was "crystal clear" on the arms issue, added the statement. "Every aspect of the agreement has been implemented or substantially progressed except for decommissioning. It is incredible to expect that an executive can be set up whilst this issue has not been satisfactorily and finally resolved."
To protect the democratic and moral integrity of the Belfast Agreement there had to be a credible and verifiable start to a process of decommissioning, before Sinn Fein could participate in government, reiterated the statement.
The current Downing Street proposals under discussion do not oblige the IRA to decommission before the formation of an executive but rather for Sinn Fein to do all it can to achieve the total disarmament of paramilitary organisations by the May 2000 deadline set out in the Belfast Agreement.
A pivotal role for the Independent Body on Decommissioning, chaired by Gen John de Chastelain, is also envisaged in the deal outline with the "absolute deadline" for the devolution of power from Westminster set by Mr Blair for June 30th. Allegations of dissent from some of the UUP Assembly members against the proposals have been denied by party sources. However, the UUP Assembly member, Mr Peter Weir, who lost the whip in recent months for voting against his party, said yesterday that if Mr Trimble moved to form an executive without an arms handover it could lead to a "potential party split".
Mr Trimble has been in contact with the Prime Minister, Mr Blair, to discuss the proposals but the necessary clarification requested by the party has yet to be provided, according to a UUP source. "Our people are looking at this in the cool light of day and not getting excited about it. We're not going to move," he added.
The Sinn Fein chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, was reluctant to speak of the current political situation as he opened his campaign for the European elections. The peace process had entered a "sensitive" stage. "We don't want to make an existing problem worse," said Mr McLaughlin. However, he stressed that the majority of unionists should get the "leadership they deserve".
Meanwhile, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, the Rev Ian Paisley, has written a letter of protest to Mr Blair saying he failed to consult his party about the current proposals.
"Surely you are honour bound to consult with me, as leader of a larger party than Sinn Fein/IRA, with a mandate to have seats in any new executive, and let me know the proposals," wrote Dr Paisley. "I think I have the right to an immediate reply," he added.