UUP, Sinn Fein refuse to yield

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, JULY 11. The political crisis in Northern Ireland deepened today after a peace ``summit'' called by the British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair and his Irish counterpart, Mr. Bertie Ahern failed to reach an agreement on the contentious issue of arms decommissioning by the IRA and a major Unionist paramilitary group, the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), withdrew support to the Good Friday Agreement raising fears of fresh violence.

In another blow to the peace process, the Progressive Unionist Party, the political wing of UFF, withdrew from the talks accusing the Sinn Fein and IRA of continued intransigence on decommissioning. The PUP leader, Mr. David Ervine criticised them for putting new conditions without spelling out their own plans for giving up their weapons. ``We have seen a consistent spiral where...the republican shopping list gets even longer,'' he said amid sharp exchanges between Unionists and Nationalists on the third day of the summit.

Even as attitudes on both sides hardened, making the prospects of a breakthrough nearly impossible, efforts were still being made to come up with a face-saving compromise. Mr. Blair and Mr. Ahern were reported to be keen not to be seen leaving the ``summit'' without achieving anything. Observers said an admission of failure would send out a negative signal and embolden the extremist groups, particularly when tension is already high because of the sectarian differences over the Protestant marching season.

The talks at the secluded stately home at Weston Park, on the Shropshire-Staffordshire border, were adjourned this afternoon and would be resumed on Friday in yet another bid to break the stalemate. Observers, however, were extremely pessimistic, particularly after another round of uncompromising rhetoric this morning. The Sinn Fein leader, Mr. Gerry Adams refused to make any concession on decommissioning and accused the British Government of toeing the Unionist line.

In his second hardline intervention in less than 24 hours, Mr. Adams made it clear that there was no question of his party buckling under pressure of ``veto or ultimatum''. He accused other parties of ``ganging up'' against Sinn Fein instead of attacking the ``bigots and bomb blasters''. On Tuesday he had left the talks to make a speech here in London in which he declared that while his party was committed to the Good Friday Agreement it would not be ``pressurised''. ``The IRA aren't sheep and they will not be herded or cajoled or pressurised,'' he said. He tossed the ball back to Mr. Blair saying he was waiting to see if the British Government was prepared to implement the Good Friday Agreement.

The UUP chief, Mr. David Trimble, whose resignation as head of the ruling coalition over decommissioning, has created a political vacuum in the province, was livid. He insisted that there could be no further progress on the Good Friday Agreement until the republicans agreed to start decommissioning. He said he was ``disappointed'' with the republicans' response and accused them of not ``facing up to their obligations''. He did not see any possibility of a breakthrough, as he left Weston Park on Wednesday.

The talks which began on Monday focussed essentially on decommissioning but Sinn Fein was reported to have stuck to its position that the British Government must first deliver on its ``promises'' relating to a radical overhaul of the local police and scaling down the British security presence in Northern Ireland. Initially, there were reports that a compromise on police reforms and demilitarisation might be possible in return for a gesture from republicans on decommissioning but three days of intensive negotiations failed to narrow the differences, despite a telephonic intervention by the former U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton. The time for a solution is running out following Mr. Trimble's resignation and the British Government has until August 12 to get an agreement. Alternatively, it would either have to suspend the Assembly or call for fresh elections as the Constitution permits only a six-week gap for a successor to be appointed to Mr. Trimble. The six weeks end on August 12, but the chances of finding a successor look slim.

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Section  : International
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