A chara, - I would like to take this opportunity to respond to your editorial (February 16th) which clearly supports unionist attempts to renegotiate the Good Friday Agreement.
It is true to say that An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern did negotiate alongside Sinn Fein and the SDLP to get 10 departments on the executive, establish six All Ireland Implementation bodies and six areas of North South Co-operation. However, it is not true to say that An Taoiseach fought to secure two seats on the executive for Sinn Fein. Those two seats are Sinn Fein's, as of right, by virtue of our electoral mandate.
Both Martin McGuinness and General John de Chastelain are more than capable of articulating their own positions without anyone, not least The Irish Times, putting words in their mouths. Whether the words of An Taoiseach are plain enough, I will leave to your Deaglan de Breadun and Liam Clarke of the Sunday Times, but the language of the Good Friday Agreement is plain enough, at least to those of us who want to see it implemented, not re-negotiated.
Yes, Sinn Fein have won the privilege, in very difficult circumstances of sharing power. Yes, our electoral mandate entitles us to participate in the new structures but under no circumstances have Sinn Fein now or in the past maintained a private army. Such "Paisleyite" comments are not only incorrect they are also very irresponsible, given the current activities of the Orange Volunteers.
Finally, I would like to say that the most serious cause for concern regarding your editorial is that you are clearly attempting to prepare the political ground and political cover for the UUP to break the deadline of March 10th for establishing the new structures contained in the Good Friday Agreement. - Is mise,
Pat Doherty, Sinn Fein Vice President, Parnell Square, Dublin 1.