Weapons monitor is SF cheerleader, says Paisley

The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, yesterday claimed one of the two men appointed by the London and Dublin governments as independent…

The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, yesterday claimed one of the two men appointed by the London and Dublin governments as independent weapons monitors was a Sinn Fein cheerleader.

Dr Paisley also told The Irish Times that the outcome of next Saturday's meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council could make or break the Union.

He said he had no confidence in the appointment of Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, former general secretary of the African National Congress, or of the former Finnish president, Mr Martti Ahtisaari.

"One of them is a cheerleader for the Sinn Feiners and the other one is a nonentity. We don't know what his view is, but I'm sure he was approved by the IRA because they knew he wasn't going to rock the boat," Dr Paisley said.

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"So these two men are coming over, Gen de Chastelain is sidelined and these two men walk about at the call of IRA gunmen at whose call they can go down and look into a bunker and then leave. They're not allowed to tell where the bunker is. They're not allowed to say anything that would convey to the security forces the location of the bunker.

"The government are now appointing people to negotiate with the IRA and keep the IRA in a position where they cannot be got at by the security forces," he said.

The DUP leader also said the Ulster Unionist Party's governing council had it in their hands to make or break the Union at their meeting on Saturday.

"Everything is at stake for the people of Northern Ireland. If we get an irreversible decision taken that IRA-Sinn Fein, without any decommissioning, can permanently be in the government of Northern Ireland, that is the end of the road.

"My appeal to the council members is that you have it in your hands to make a decision that can strike a mortal blow at the Union. Don't make that decision, refuse to be bullied, refuse to be pushed, refuse to be pressurised by outside forces," he said.

"The people of Northern Ireland have to live here and when all of these people, who only have a passing interest in Northern Ireland, are forgotten, we've got to live here. What sort of Northern Ireland do you want to live in, one dominated by people in government who control the greatest arsenal of terrorist weapons in the whole of the Western world?"