Sinn Féin has yet to secure the required democratic character, writes Peter Robinson
This week's talks at Leeds Castle offer the opportunity to bring devolution back to Northern Ireland. Only time will tell the extent of the progress that will be made but I believe the ingredients are in place, if all parties are willing to embrace entirely peaceful and democratic means, to achieve an agreed settlement.
I believe that a number of factors combine to dangle before us the tantalising prospect of peace and stability, but the pace of progress is dependent on the willingness of the paramilitaries to leave the stage, and the ingenuity of the politicians in meeting the challenges and opportunities to establish a wholly democratic, fair and just society.
I want to see the threat of terrorism removed, I want to see a devolved Assembly in Northern Ireland, and I want to see a congenial and positive relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic. The key to achieving a sound and beneficial relationship is mutual respect.
For nationalists this means respecting Northern Ireland's constitutional position as part of the United Kingdom, and for unionists it means recognising nationalists' special affinity with the Republic of Ireland.
It is clear from the 2001 census in Northern Ireland that there is no prospect of a united Ireland in the foreseeable future. This I hope will encourage people to concentrate on how we can best deal with the present actuality, rather than chasing moonbeams which only serve to undermine the prospect of better relations.
The talks at Leeds Castle are the latest in a series of concentrated negotiations spanning the last decade. Up to this point they have followed a familiar pattern with the UUP going in talking tough, only to timidly emerge having broken their word and left unionism fundamentally weakened. No one should be in any doubt, these talks will be different. For the first time it is not the UUP but - by the will of the electorate - the DUP which will be representing unionism.
There should be absolutely no doubt about where the DUP stands. We will be true to our mandate. We fought the Assembly election last year on clear principles and our policies were endorsed again in the European election. If a deal can be secured within those terms we will do it, but if it cannot, we will not travel the Trimble trail.
We are seeking a fair deal and will not be settling for anything less. The Belfast Agreement demonstrably failed to deliver good government. The attempt to allow terrorism and democracy to coexist has failed and the history of the last six years confirms this.
An Executive including Sinn Féin can only come about after decommissioning is completed and paramilitary activity has decisively ended. No gesture short of this will meet the needs of the hour. Completion, completion, completion is what we require. Only when that has happened - verifiably, conclusively and convincingly - will Sinn Féin be entitled to the same benefits as other parties.
Sinn Féin has the electoral capacity to play a full part in an Executive but it does not have the democratic character - this can only come if they leave terrorism behind. However, no one should be in doubt that the grief it has inflicted on the community will remain.
Whether they are yet at the point of coming to terms with all that is required will become clear in the next few months.
But they must not be allowed to blame their refusal to divvy-up on anyone else and hope to escape behind the dust they throw up.
Paramilitarism is only one of the issues to be addressed at Leeds Castle. The institutions of the Belfast Agreement failed to provide good government and must be changed. The DUP will seek structures that are stable, accountable, effective and efficient. We seek an Assembly which can deliver real benefits. The political institutions must provide value for money, enhance delivery of services and improve the quality of people's lives.
In the talks this week it will also be critical to address the economic problems of Northern Ireland. Thirty years of funds being diverted into the fight against terrorism has left Northern Ireland infrastructure with a huge deficit. There is much work to be done.
In our most recent manifesto we repeated the terms for our participation in what we described as: "A mandatory coalition involving all the major parties."
We declared: "A mandatory coalition to include Sinn Féin is only possible when they are demonstrably committed to exclusively peaceful and democratic means. This requirement must be rigorously judged against the words of Prime Minister Tony Blair. For example, on January 15th this year he said, 'We cannot have a situation where people are expected to sit in government with political parties attached to active paramilitary organisations.' We believe that only when the Blair necessities have been met can Sinn Féin be entitled to a place in government."
The unionist electorate massively endorsed this position.
Just as we make clear that completion of these issues is a fundamental precondition, we equally make it clear that the position we will adopt on all matters will be fully in line with the published commitments we have given.
The DUP and its leadership do not go back on their word. We will not break our pledges. We are a mandated party and no one has a stronger commitment to living up to their policy pledges than we have. The opportunity to create an entirely peaceful and democratic way forward exists if the IRA departs.