BELFAST UUP councillor has stated that pressure is mounting within his party to cut contact with the SDLP because of its boycott of the Northern Forum.
Mr Jim Rodgers added that the new RUC chief constable, Mr Ronnie Flanagan, had to introduce "confidence-building measures" for unionists, "many of whom have lost faith in the police".
"They now regretfully see it being influenced by the Republic of Ireland's Government and the SDLP. Mr Flanagan must be his own man and not permit the Maryfield Secretariat to interfere in operational matters," he said.
Meanwhile, searches of the Louth-Armagh border yesterday recovered a rocket launcher, bomb-making equipment and an empty ammunition box. It is the seventh such find in recent weeks and searches will continue.