By the Irish American Information Service 
and Northern ireland information Services

US President George W Bush will meet the British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Northern Ireland next week. The two are expected to discuss the war in Iraq, the Middle East and the Northern Ireland peace process, White House officials said.

Bush will meet Blair on Monday and Tuesday in the Belfast area, it is believed. The two leaders last met at Bush's Camp David retreat on March 27.

Blair and the Taoiseach were due to hold discussion in the North next week in a renewed effort to revive the peace process. They are expected to unveil their plan for the peace process on Thursday. This will be President Bush's first visit to Northern Ireland.

Reports from the US said it would be a two-day visit. It is reported that US Secretary of State Colin Powell will be traveling with President Bush.

A Downing Street spokesman said the two leaders would join Irish premier Bertie Ahern for talks with the main pro- Agreement parties.

They will have meetings with the Ulster Unionist Party, SDLP and Sinn Féin.

The Downing Street spokesman said: "It is an important week in the Northern Ireland peace process. It will be useful to get the US President's support for our efforts to encourage the leaders to the acts of completion the prime minister has outlined."

He added: "The president and the prime minister have discussed Northern Ireland on several occasions. It is an example of how peace can be taken forward in seemingly impossible situations. We want that spirit applied to the Middle East peace process."

A White House spokesman said: "The president's going to get a first-hand insight and update on the incredible progress being made on the Northern Ireland peace process as well as discuss other efforts in the world to bring peace and security to the Middle East."

Meanwhile, a series of political meetings took place today ahead of what could be the most important week for the Northern Ireland peace process in five years. 

Blair and Ahern are due back in the North later next week to publish their blueprint for restoring devolution.

Secretary of State Paul Murphy met Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen this morning to discuss the potential for political progress in the coming weeks.

By the Irish American Information Service

The announcement that President George W. Bush is to visit Belfast for a two-day trip beginning Monday will increase pressure on the North's political parties to accept a blueprint to be announced later next week by the British and Irish premiers. 

The plan to be announced by Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern, based on 'acts of completion' on all sides, is intended to bring an end to the continual series of crises which have brought the Good Friday Agreement to its knees.

Downing Street confirmed President Bush would visit the North on Monday and Tuesday as Blair and Ahern prepare a package of proposals to secure the future of the Belfast Agreement.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said the issue of Iraq would dominate the talks session.

"The trip will focus on the operations in Iraq, they will talk about the status of the ongoing military operations, they will talk about the humanitarian relief efforts, they will talk about reconstruction, they will talk about the role of the United Nations, they will also talk about the peace process in Northern Ireland, and I think the subject of the Middle East could come up, as well," he said.

Northern Ireland parties were stunned by the announcement from Downing Street and Washington, claiming the President's visit could represent "a last throw of the dice".

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said the visit was "a
strong signal" of President Bush's support for the Good Friday Agreement and the peace process.

"Sinn Féin will be pleased to discuss the Irish peace process with both President Bush and Prime Minister Blair and we will seek to build on the progress that has been made in our recent discussions with the British and Irish governments on the full implementation of the Agreement," he said.

An Ulster Unionist source said: "We really didn't see this coming. This could very much be a last minute intervention to move the process forward."

Sinn Féin and nationalist SDLP sources were also surprised to learn about the President's visit.

Democratic Unionist Party Leader Ian Paisley said the British prime minister was "happy to use President Bush to facilitate further concessions to terrorists and pursue the Blair policy of terrorist appeasement".

 "It is evident that President Bush has no intention of meeting with, let alone listening to, the views of the representatives of the majority of unionists in Northern Ireland," he said.

"Bush is happy for our soldiers to be in Iraq in common cause with the United States, yet he refuses to meet their political representatives."

President Bush will arrive on Monday night and will meet Prime Minister Blair to assess the progress of the war in Iraq.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss plans for a post-Saddam Iraq and the Middle East peace process. Bush is also planning talks with Ahern and the leaders of the pro-Agreement parties.

The announcement came at the end of a hectic day at Stormont with talks between the pro- Agreement parties. Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Brian Cowen also took part in discussions in Belfast with the Northern Secretary Paul Murphy.

Both men expressed hope that the key issues impeding progress in the peace process could be overcome when Blair and Ahern unveil their blueprint next Thursday.

After the meeting in Stormont, Cowen and Murphy said they believed it was still possible to resolve the key issues. "I think that during the next week or two we will resolve these issues," the Northern Ireland Secretary said. "I know there are hugely significant issues to be resolved but I think the determination is there on the part of the parties to enable us to move forward."

The British and Irish Governments` blueprint is expected to address the devolution of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont, the full implementation of the Patten report's recommendations on the future of policing, demilitarization by the British Army, the restoration of the political institutions suspended last October, the removal of the order suspending devolution, social and economic inclusion and the needs of Troubles` victims.

The Governments will also examine separately how a party believed to be in default of its commitments under the Agreement should be dealt with.

It is understood they have proposed a four-person implementation body - appointed from the US, London, Dublin and Belfast - which will report on any breaches to an implementation group of Assembly members who will decide what action must be taken.

However, Sinn Féin is opposed to any form of sanctions which are outside the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, with republicans warning it could be `a deal breaker`.

On the issue of `acts of completion` from the paramilitaries, the Governments are expected in the blueprint to spell out the need for the IRA and loyalists to end all recruiting, targeting, training, the importation of weapons and involvement in street disorder.

Another source said tonight: "The choreography of all this is going to be vital. You are looking at the two governments` joint declaration on April 10 and then an IRA statement either that night or at the latest, the following morning. If that is big enough that will trigger David Trimble`s meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council but he will only do that in the knowledge that he can carry the council. 

"Somewhere along the way you need the IRA to re- engage with de Chastelain and carry out a third substantial
act of decommissioning as a sign of its good intent. There would need to be some sort of indication from Sinn Féin on whether it is ready to hold a special conference on whether it is ready to support policing."

These transcripts are courtesy of the Northern Ireland Information Service

Program: BBC Newsline - Mark Devenport Date & Time: April 4, 2003 Subject Visit by President Bush

NOEL THOMPSON

Mark, the news of this visit leaked a little before the authorities were ready for us to know about it?

MARK DEVENPORT

That's true, Noel, when I rang a US official and said, 'Well what are these Galaxy aircraft doing at Aldergrove?' the answer was, 'whoops,' and then shortly thereafter from Washington, we started getting confirmation that this was indeed a VIP indeed. 

The most important VIP of them all in President George W. Bush and it seems to me that whilst this is obviously a continuation of the war summits they've been having, Prime Minister Blair and President Bush, it's the third encounter of this kind in three weeks, the choice was pretty deliberate with the British Government looking, in a sense, for a bit of pay back. They've stood beside the Americans here, they want the Americans to stand by them with the peace process.

NOEL THOMPSON

You and I are both just back from Washington where there was little or no interest in things to do with this island's problems?

MARK DEVENPORT

A very low key St Patrick's Day indeed and I don't think anybody can be fooled that the President has suddenly decided at this particular juncture that he wants to get involved in the nitty gritty of the Northern Ireland process. Instead I think he's doing Downing Street a favor. 

It's worked like this before with President Clinton when he intervened at the request of Downing Street, so it will probably work like this again. We shouldn't kid ourselves that a vast amount of time in the Prime Minister's discussions with the President will be taken up with Northern Ireland, obviously Iraq is going to be the main deal, but he would be expected to put his weight behind the peace process, to call for acts of completion on all sides and he'll be meeting the Taoiseach and the leaders of the three main pro-Agreement parties as well as the Prime Minister.

NOEL THOMPSON

Okay, now we've seen President Bush and Tony Blair in action a couple of times, in the Azores or course and then at Camp David where they've been getting on reasonably well. What effect will it have on our political parties, the UUP, the SDLP and Sinn Féin, to walk into a room and see the President and the Prime Minister sitting there?

MARK DEVENPORT

Well I think Downing Street believes that it provides a lot of clout at what is a key time. The Prime Minister is going to come back later in the course of the week in order to launch the British and Irish joint proposals, that'll probably be on Thursday, and so they would hope that this will have an influence in terms of pushing everybody ahead. 

I have to say however the symbolism is maybe slightly more difficult than during some of the Clinton visits because here we have a President coming here calling for peace at a time of war in the wider world and there might be just a little bit of embarrassment especially on the nationalist side where both the nationalist parties have said that they're vehemently opposed to the war. That then they have these high level meetings with the President at the height of hostilities and yet talking about the peace process.

NOEL THOMPSON

And Bertie Ahern will be here to meet the President and then he'll be back with Tony Blair on Thursday?

MARK DEVENPORT

As I gather it, there'll be two interventions, yes, one at the beginning of the week and one at the end of the week.

Program: Evening Extra - Mark Devenport Date & Time: April 4, 2003 Subject: Visit by George Bush

AUDREY CARVILLE

George Bush will be meeting Tony Blair here in Northern Ireland next week. Tell us more?

MARK DEVENPORT

I can say that we spotted a little bit of unusual movement at Belfast International Airport which was apparently two Galaxy aircraft, which are often used associated with VIP visits, and started asking around and realized that there was a possibility of a US VIP coming here. Now, just within the last few moments as you say, White House officials are confirming that it is President Bush who is due to arrive in Northern Ireland, probably at the start of next week. 
 Apparently on the agenda is Iraq, Middle East and Northern Ireland. Very little guidance at this stage because, for obvious security reasons, officials aren't really wanting to confirm many of the details. But you can take it that the President will be emphasizing in the White House his support for the process here in the run-up to what is obviously a vital time. 

The Prime Minister was due over in any case probably, we think, on Thursday of next week. Now it's looking like two visits in a short period of time. So that will figure on the agenda, although they obviously will have pressing matters as regards Iraq.

AUDREY CARVILLE

Very unusual, isn't it Mark, during the war that George Bush would take time out and leave the States to come here?

MARK DEVENPORT

Well it may well be that they're wanting to show that there is parity in the relationship. Obviously Tony Blair has been across the other side, they did meet in the Azores, a half way point, and maybe at this point we've got a political and a geographic point being made. 

One is that the President will go, on occasions, to meet the Prime Minister. Another that he takes the Prime Minister's concerns seriously, not only about rebuilding Iraq and the different ideas they've got there, but also about Northern Ireland which is part of the back yard. 

I should say, just in the last few moments as I've been, you know, talking to key players about this, they wondered about the symbolism, maybe a little bit difficult for, for instance, Sinn Féin at the moment who've made it absolutely no secret that they're opposition to the war, that President Bush is here. 

It's not necessarily the same, kind of, unifying figure as President Clinton a few years back. Nevertheless, I think the British Government would hope that this would be seen as another sign of high profile support across the board for pushing the process forward.

AUDREY CARVILLE

Do you think, Mark, it will be a quick in and out visit, not a Clinton-type tour when he's here obviously?

MARK DEVENPORT

I doubt really, given the security considerations at the moment, they're extremely hyper about this and they're obviously pretty busy at the US Consulate trying to prepare for it, that he's going to be going out and about and touring around. 

So I suspect it will be a summit meeting in a secure venue, possibly the airport or possibly elsewhere, we don't have those details yet and I image it will be pretty business-like because while the President will no doubt sign up, both in public and in private, to almost whatever the Prime Minister wants him to in terms of the peace process, they have a lot of thorny issues on their plate as regards Iraq and the obvious difference of emphasis between the British and the US model for rebuilding Iraq in the future.

April 5, 2003
SETTLEMENT IS POSSIBLE SAYS TRIMBLE

The Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has said he believes there is "every prospect" of a settlement which would see a return to stable power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland.

However, he warned that so long as the IRA held on to its weapons, the process would remain in crisis.

Trimble was speaking the day after it was announced that US President George Bush would join the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the North next week for a high-profile bid to give renewed impetus to the peace process.

Blair are expected to produce a new formula to bring about the full implementation of the Belfast Agreement, five years after it was signed, and it is thought that Mr Bush's presence may put added pressure on pro-Agreement parties to reach consensus.

Trimble said that the new formula should enable the republican movement to "take the final steps in the transition" away from violence.

However, he made clear that the UUP would not be prepared to accept an amnesty for IRA fugitives - one of the key demands of Sinn Féin.

But he indicated that the party was ready to accept an arrangement to defuse the issue, by having 'on-the-runs' return to jail only to be freed under the early release
scheme. Those who had never been convicted should face "some judicial proceedings", he said.

Trimble suggested that Mr Bush's visit was primarily linked to the war in Iraq, saying that the President and Prime Minister would have only a "brief chat" with the Ulster parties during their talks. But he said that Bush kept himself briefed on developments in Northern Ireland and had met representatives of the parties in the Oval Office recently.

Meanwhile, the SDLP leader Mark Durkan expressed unease at the two leaders discussing the war in Iraq alongside the Northern Ireland peace process.

"Bringing the two issues together in this sort of event- management way is highly questionable. I have registered my deepest misgivings with governments about this," he said.

Mr Durkan said anti-war protesters had the right to voice their opposition when the President visited Northern Ireland.

"It is entirely understandable that people would want to use that to register a protest in a peaceful and dignified manner," he added.

John Fee, also of the SDLP, cautioned President Bush against manipulating the situation: "Let no-one under any circumstances mistake what is a short-term flyover by two political leaders in the middle of a war to take advice from and give advice to people about ending this conflict. Anything less on the agenda than help to end our conflict and end the war in the Middle East is dishonest, dishonorable and deceitful."

April 6, 2003
BUSH TRIP RAISES HOPES OF BREAKTHROUGH

US President George W. Bush's surprise intervention in the peace process has raised hopes of a breakthrough at talks next week.

The North will be the third item on the agenda, after Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, when Bush and the British Prime Minister Tony Blair hold a summit at Hillsborough Castle, south of Belfast, on Monday and Tuesday.

But Dublin and London hope the high-profile involvement of the US leader - who thus far has not appeared to share his predecessor Bill Clinton's interest in Northern Irish affairs - will help push the North's politicians towards a final deal.

Most politicians have welcomed the news Bush would be taking a personal interest in efforts to revive the Belfast Agreement, but anti-war activists have threatened to stage protests against the visit.

"He's coming for three reasons really, first of all he's had a summit with Blair every 10 days or so during the Iraq crisis, the Azores, Camp David, and it's time for another one," a British official in Belfast said. 

"Secondly it's a pretty important week in the peace process here. And then running through all that is the Middle East - Blair has always seen what's happened in Northern Ireland as a possible model for peace processes elsewhere."

David Trimble and Gerry Adams have both welcomed Bush's intervention.

"President Clinton had a sentimental attachment to Irish nationalism, but that doesn't mean he was in any way weak on the principles of democracy," Trimble said. 

"And George Bush is certainly not weak on the question of democracy, and on the questions of terrorism, so I think one would expect the president would come with a very clear view to the situation."

Adams said in a statement the visit sent a "strong signal of support" for the Good Friday Agreement, but went on to point out his party's opposition to the war in Iraq.

The SDLP leader Mark Durkan was less enthusiastic about the visit, saying he was "perturbed" Northern Ireland was being used as a venue for a war summit. "I cannot disguise my personal unhappiness at this, given my own opposition to this war and my concern for the integrity of our own peace process," he said.

Bush will arrive in the North tomorrow evening and will meet the Taoiseach, Ahern and the leaders of the pro- agreement parties on Tuesday. Two days later, on the fifth calendar anniversary of the Belfast Agreement, Ahern and Blair will return to Hillsborough to publish their blueprint for reviving the Assembly.

April 7, 2003
BUSH ARRIVES IN HILLSBOROUGH FOR SUMMIT

US president George Bush has arrived at RAF Aldergrove for
the war summit in Northern Ireland. The President and Air Force One touched down just before 6.30 p.m., local time.

Thousands of protesters marched on Hillsborough near Belfast tonight and declared: "We want nothing to do with the Iraqi massacre." Heavy security kept demonstrators away from Hillsborough Castle where the US President and the Prime Minister met for talks, but a procession of demonstrators snaked its way up to the County Down village to show opposition to the conflict. Amid the beat of drums and chants the crowds told the two leaders to leave Northern Ireland. Trade union leaders, politicians and anxious relatives of those caught up in the war all joined the rally.

One Iraqi who traveled from his new home in Derry to take part in the protest told how he lost contact with his family in Kirkuk in the northern region of the battle-ravaged country 13 days ago. Abdul al-Jibouri, 37, launched a stinging attack on the US and British administrations.

He said: "We have come here to make sure both the cowboy and his poodle get the message, we are not supporting war. They need to get it into their thick heads that this is a war for oil which is leading to the slaughter of innocents."

Protesters massed all over the blocked off dual carriageway just outside Hillsborough to listen to the speakers vent their fury about the war from a makeshift platform.

Patricia McKeown of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions criticized Mr. Bush for interfering with efforts to rescue the Northern Ireland peace process during his meeting with Blair. She told the US President: "Shame on you, you are an international disgrace."

Alisa Keane of the Stop the War Coalition which organized the rally said people had come from all over Britain and Ireland to back the peace protest. She said: "We`re trying in a peaceful and dignified manner to show that we cannot support what is going on in Iraq."

Others however were more blunt in their assessment of the actions of US and British troops in the Middle East. Jamal Iweida, President of the Islamic Centre in Northern Ireland admitted the picket would not have any impact on the ongoing conflict.

He said: "These people do not care at all that the people of Iraq are being massacred. But this sends out a message to the Iraqi people who have been suffering that we are standing up for them. We need to build a momentum for the future because this is not the final crime George Bush will commit. His ideology is about attacking many nations and we need to do something to stop him."

Among the protesters was a big delegation from Sinn Féin whose party president is due to hold talks with Mr. Bush tomorrow in a bid to break the deadlocked peace process.

Mitchel McLaughlin, the Republican party`s chairman insisted their anti-war stance did not pose a major problem. He said: "There are many people who would relish the opportunity to tell Bush and Blair to their faces what they feel about this, we will have that opportunity and we will take it. We will deal in two distinct ways with our view on the war in Iraq and how we can achieve democratic peace in Ireland."

SDLP Alban Maginness admitted the US administration had made a significant contribution to the political process in Northern Ireland, but he insisted his party could not ignore its `concerns` about the conflict.

He said: "The US government cannot exploit our peace process for the purpose of creating a smokescreen in relation to their belligerent acts. The world opinion is against America for its unilateral action in the Middle East and that needs to be registered."

NORTHERN IRELAND INFORMATION SERVICE

MORNING DIGEST

APRIL 7, 2003

Military success in Iraq and the forthcoming summit with President Bush and the Prime Minister in Hillsborough dominate the press. 

Summit

As Ulster stands by for this evening's arrival of President George Bush to discuss war in Iraq and peace in Northern Ireland the NIO was giving an upbeat assessment of the prospects of the IRA agreeing to disarm - but only agreeing, not actually naming a date to do it. Secretary of State said hopes are high for a statement on how the Provos intend to carry out an act of completion - code for disarmament and a final renunciation on violence News Letter (P1).
 Tomorrow, Bush, Blair and Taoiseach Ahern will be joined at Hillsborough Castle by the North's political leaders when the talk will turn to the Northern Ireland process. The anticipation is that the IRA will make a significant move in the next few days or weeks and the Decommissioning Commission, together with a new independent monitoring body, could have key roles Irish News (P1).

David Trimble writes 'most of Bush's time here will be spent on Iraq but we welcome his help in freeing our democratic institutions, a common approach should be taken to terrorism. Mixed messages will only encourage the godfathers here and the Saddams of the world' Mirror (P2). Mr Trimble urged President Bush to issue an ultimatum to Sinn Féin threatening sanctions in the US if the IRA failed to disarm. 'The IRA and the republican movement have reached the moment of truth and that moment of truth has to be the abandonment now of the physical force movement.' Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, hoped President Bush would provide a positive and creative input to the peace process. He said his party needed reassurance that there would be no further threats from unionists to bring down the Executive. The SDLP leader, Mark Durkan, said his party was perturbed by the war summit 'I cannot disguise my personal unhappiness at this, given my own opposition to the war and my concern for the integrity of our own peace process' Irish Times (P1).

The Bush visit will highlight David Trimble's difficulties, Frank Millar writes, Irish Times (P7). President Bush's arrival in Belfast brings a sharp reminder that five years on Mr Trimble is still fighting an uphill battle to persuade unionists that it was they and not the IRA who won the war. Gerry Moriarty suggests expectations of a peace process breakthrough have been dramatically raised and triggers an assumption that Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness, at the very least, have been providing Prime Minister Blair with very strong nods and winks that the IRA will demonstrate by word and deed that its war is over Irish Times (P7).

See also Times (P8), Financial Times (P1,5), Daily Telegraph (P7.13), Daily Mail (P10), Mirror (P1,2), Guardian (P2), Independent (P8), Irish Independent (P1,9).

Editorials

In its Opinion Irish News (P6) President Bush's decision to become personally involved in the Northern Ireland political process is an extraordinary one. There is every reason to believe that his presence, together with Bertie Ahern, Tony Blair and the leaders of the Northern Ireland parties, can help to move us firmly into a new era.

Mr Bush must reinforce the peace imperative is the Morning view News Letter (P8). He may raise expectations and indeed fears in both the unionist and nationalist communities that he is coming to join Mr Blair in persuading the main protagonists that there will have to be give on all sides if a workable solution is to be found for the return of the devolved Assembly. Both he and Mr Blair have declared themselves firmly opposed to global terrorism and as an opening shot in discussions with parties linked to paramilitaries they should reinforce the point that this legitimate peaceful imperative is as relevant in Belfast as it is in Baghdad.

Whatever comes of President Bush's visit to Northern Ireland today and tomorrow the people of Ireland have reason to be grateful to him. This should be the week for 'final acts' of peace that would suitably, if belatedly, celebrate an anniversary. And it should not lessen Ireland's thanks to Mr Bush Irish Independent (P12).

The eyes of the world will focus on Belfast this evening when President Bush and Mr Tony Blair meet in Hillsborough Castle. There are hard decisions to be made which will have the most fundamental impact on the international order. And they will devote a considerable amount of time to the current state of the peace process in Northern Ireland. The debates at the recent Sinn Féin Ard Fheis signalled that the end game for the IRA could in sight. The UUP leader, David Trimble, will need to be convinced of an act of completion by the IRA within hours or days of the publication of Thursday's document. The interventions of President Bush and Mr Blair could be crucial to making this happen Irish Times (P15).

 President Bush in Ulster tonight will encourage the belief that Northern Ireland's peace process is a template for resolving conflict in the Middle East. From Belfast to Bethlehem, in Northern Ireland, Mr Bush will be able to see for himself how terrorists can endlessly cash in the tools of violence for startling political gains Daily Telegraph (P21).

The extent of the worth of the Bush visit, if any, will only be seen in the days to come. If it helps, even in a modest way, to spread greater trust over the way forward in Iraq, the Middle East, Northern Ireland, or merely in the relations between nations generally, then it is hard to argue that it has not been worthwhile. But we shall have to see about that Guardian (P19).

A visit to Belfast will give George Bush timely lessons in geography, politics and nation building Independent (P16). The visit is significant not only for the politics of post war Iraq and the Israeli and Palestinians conflict. Politics in Northern Ireland as part of the UK has been on hold. It has not been ideal but it is no longer a matter of life and death. Everything still depends though on Sinn Féin's military wing of the IRA finding some way to renounce violence without implying surrender. Mr Bush's presence in Northern Ireland today is a most hopeful sign that such a way has been found.

Program: Sunday Issue - UTV - David Trimble, Gerry Adams Date & Time: April 6, 2003 - 12.30pm Subject Summit with President Bush

 FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

Joining us in the studio, Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, and Ulster Unionist Party leader, David Trimble. Obviously the story dominating today is the fact that George Bush and Tony Blair arrive tomorrow. Why are they coming?

DAVID TRIMBLE

They're coming for a conference on the war in Iraq and it's perhaps curious that they've decided to do that in Belfast, but you know that reminds me of during the second World War when Winston Churchill deliberately decided that the first American troops to reach the European (unclear) should land in Northern Ireland as a reminder to some people here of the dual political realities and I rather suspect that the same thinking lies behind George Bush's arrival here. 

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

Do you favour them coming?

DAVID TRIMBLE

Well I quite understand why they would want to have a conference on the war here, and that's fine. We've not objection to that at all, if, at the same time, George Bush can give our own circumstances a helping hand well and good.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

Mind you it's only a few days ago that you were telling Tony Blair, don't bother coming there's no point? DAVID TRIMBLE

No I was saying don't come unless you're sure it's going to work. Now, with a bit of luck, this might help to make it work and in which case, fine. But what is important that things have to work from our point of view here. We've had a long wait since October to see whether it's going to be possible to achieve the acts of completion that Tony Blair talked about last year. I think it's time we found out whether that's going to be possible and we may not get many more shots at this.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

Yes but this is a President who doesn't really have a hands on approach to Northern Ireland. So in that context, can he be actually bringing, he's not bringing gifts?

DAVID TRIMBLE

Well I think you're misjudging, I think you're misjudging the situation there. Now it's less than a month ago when myself and some other leaders from Northern Ireland were in the Oval Office discussing Northern Ireland issues with George Bush and he will, I'm quite sure, when he comes here on Tuesday, he will be well briefed and he will have his views.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

Yet his spokesman, as we were reminded yesterday, thought he was coming to Dublin instead of Belfast, (unclear) detail?

DAVID TRIMBLE

I think that person may have been confused, but I don't think you'll find George confused.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

But what can we expect?

DAVID TRIMBLE

It'll only be a brief look at the Northern Ireland situation in the context of a meeting whose focus is elsewhere. I would hope that in that brief look the President will do what he can to help things along and to bring home to people what has to be done and indeed there is a certain parallel in a war that's trying to disarm people to see that disarmament occurs here too.
 FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

So pressure on Sinn Féin?

DAVID TRIMBLE

Indeed.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

What type of pressure do you want him to bring to bare?

DAVID TRIMBLE

Well I think the whole situation puts pressure on all of use, doesn't it, because we all know what it is we want to achieve and I think the time has come when the Irish republican movement has to reach its own moment of truth and that moment of truth has to be the abandonment now and forever of the physical force movement, of the use of violence as a means of achieving objectives. It has to commit itself, as the Agreement required, to exclusively political and democratic means.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

Yes, well what do you need to see in terms of what you want from republicans, what do you need?

DAVID TRIMBLE

What we need to see is that commitment to exclusively peaceful and democratic means being demonstrated in word and the paramilitary side, the private army, being left behind and that being done in a way that is visible and decisive. 

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

And what does that need, spell that out to me because what you've said in the past is that it's got to be a deal that we know when we see it. What does that mean?

DAVID TRIMBLE

Well precisely what it said. I don't know that it's helpful for me to speculate, indeed actually in some respects it might be unhelpful for me to be, to speculate about the various ways in which this could be demonstrated. But the principle is clear and the principle is derived from the Agreement because the continued existence and activity of private armies is wholly incompatible with an Agreement that is about peace and democracy. There is no way in which private armies can continue to exist in such a context.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

Do you need cameras filming this?

DAVID TRIMBLE

I said it's got to be visible, it's got to be transparent. It has got to, if I could borrow the words of the IRA when the promised way back in 2001 to do this, it has to be done in such a way as to maximise public confidence. Unfortunately previous decommissioning did not create the public confidence we had hoped. This time it has to.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

David Trimble thanks very much indeed for joining us. Can I get to, Gerry Adams, David Trimble's specific requests in a moment. But for you what is this, is this Bush and Blair on Iraq or is this peace process? GERRY ADAMS

Well I think there are lots of contradictions about having a war summit and I have said to Downing Street, very clearly, that they didn't show any concern to Irish sensitivities on this war by organising a summit here in this country. I don't have any problem, I'm very, very clear, that Irish American particularly, but this administration and others have played a very key role in the peace process here. I don't have any problem talking to him about all of that, but I'm very mindful that there are contradictions in this.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

Yes, and one of the contradictions is that you're going to be pushing your way through an anti-war protest, some of whom will be made up of republicans, going in to meet a war mongering President probably, in your terms, preaching peace?

GERRY ADAMS

Well I've never used those terms, can I say so, and let's be very careful that this doesn't become, you know, an excuse for anti-Americanism, the type you've just described. Let's be very, very mindful, I'm part of the anti-war movement, our position is consistent. You know, I'm not a Nobel Peace Prize winner, I'm for peace in Iraq, I'm for peace in the Middle East and I'm for peace in Ireland and our position is consistent throughout all of those theatres.

We have shown here, despite all of the difficulties, that it is possible through dialogue, through people dealing with each other, through Governments and others, using their influence to bring progress. So our position will be consistent. I've been on anti-war demonstrations, if I get the opportunity, and this comes at a very inopportune working week for us because we're up to our eyes in work trying to make this, our own peace process work. But if I had the opportunity I've no problem being on an anti-war demonstration and then going in to talk to the President and Mr Blair.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

Yes but it interests me that here, you know, republicans could be standing, if you like, outside Hillsborough, nearby Hillsborough, shoulder to shoulder with thousands of later day Mairead Corrigans and isn't there a big irony there?

GERRY ADAMS

Well there may be, but let me appeal to those who are genuinely anti-war. On the basis that you have outlined we would never have talked to Mr Blair. On the basis that you have outlined we would never have talked to the unionist. No, I mean we have to be consistent about how we approach these matters. 

The vast majority of people on this island want to see the regime in Iraq disarmed, but we don't want to see it being done the way it's being attempted and we do see the UN as the universal arbitrator, the forum, and obviously it needs reformed, it needs, in many ways, improved. But there is a way of sorting this out and our template can't fit it exactly and we need to be mindful we aren't being used as stage props here, in all of this, in a bigger show.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

Yes, can I just return back home, as I said, about the comments of David Trimble. Can you deliver a, 'we'll know it when we see it', deal for unionists?

GERRY ADAMS

Well I think myself and David and the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister and all the other parties can at least create the circumstances that there are acts of completion right across the board.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

And can that happen in a short timeframe. Can that happen, for exampleŠ..?

GERRY ADAMS

Well let's try, I mean we have been, you know, active, hyperactive on this going right back to the autumn of last year. I mean there needs to be a sense that these institutions, if they go back in place, that they're going to be sustained and they're going to be stabilised. There needs obviously to be confidence around armed groups, there needs to be confidence that the acts of completion, which Mr Blair when he acknowledged that the Good Friday Agreement has not been implemented, that those acts of completion do take place as well.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

Yes I hear what you're saying, but a timescale is now crucially important I think in this and are we looking at a week to ten days timescale for acts of completion which will include exactly what David TrimbleŠ.?

GERRY ADAMS

Well let's see, I can only speak for Sinn Féin. Mr Trimble knows the effort we have been making. The Taoiseach and Mr Blair know, other party leaders know the effort that we have been making. So let's see, in the wake of the joint declaration and any other announcements that are made by the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister, what the response is to that. It isn't within my gift to call that, we can only do our best in this.

Program: The Politics Show - Peter King, Gerry Adams Date & Time: April 6, 2003 - 12.35pm Subject Summit with President Bush

JIM FITZPATRICK

On the eve of a surprise Presidential visit to Northern Ireland another republican president, Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams is here to talk about mixing war with peace. I'll be asking him about the chances of winding up the republican guard, the IRA that is. 

The Good Friday Agreement is five years old next week and I've been out and about Northern Ireland to gauge what it means to you, and the DUP's Sammy Wilson gives us his take on the Sunday papers. But first, Hillsborough Castle is the venue tomorrow and Tuesday for a remarkable summit between wartime leaders Tony Blair and George Bush. Gerry Adams, the Sinn Féin president, joins me now.

What do you expect to come out of this summit, Mr Adams?

GERRY ADAMS

Well I should say, first of all, that the calling for a war summit in Ireland is very insensitive to Irish concerns. The vast majority of people on this island are against the war in Iraq and I've conveyed that to people in Downing Street.

JIM FITZPATRICK

This is the first time I've heard you say this since the summit was announced. Is this because you've received feedback from your grass roots?

GERRY ADAMS

No, no, we said in our statement, when we knew about this visit, that our opposition to this war was well known by both the White House and Downing Street and it is and I've discussed this matter, going back some time, with Mr Blair, before they even commenced the adventure. Discussed it with Dr Haass, going back some time as well, and you have to have consistency and our position is consistent. 
 Our position is we want peace in Ireland, we want peace in Iraq and we want peace in the Middle East and I think our peace process, even though it's imperfect and it isn't finished and there are difficulties, shows that dialogue, listening to people, using institutions, Governments playing their parts, all are the ways to at least try and make conflict a thing of the past.

JIM FITZPATRICK

Well, if I could pause you there for a minute because American opinion is important of course, and earlier I spoke to Congressman Peter King in New York, a loyal supporter of George Bush and a political ally of Sinn Féin. With Iraq, the Middle East and Northern Ireland, the three items on the agenda, I began by asking him how big an issue would the peace process really be?

CONGRESSMAN PETER KING

I think it will be a considerable part. Obviously, of course, the war in Iraq will be the main focus, but the Irish peace process is important. It's important, certainly to Prime Minister Blair, and that makes it important to President Bush. But also, really President Bush has continued President Clinton's policies and while he himself is not involved day to day as much as President Clinton was, certainly Colin Powell and Richard Haass are very much involved and I thought it was significant, around the time of St Patrick's day, when the only public appearance the President made in the week leading up to Iraq, was the St Patrick's Day reception where he met with all of the Northern Irish leaders.

JIM FITZPATRICK

But there's a perception that this is potentially a war summit, Northern Ireland is the venue and nothing more than that?

CONGRESSMAN PETER KING

Obviously the main focus of the meeting is going to be on Iraq, but also with the Irish peace process reaching a pretty critical moment right now, it appears as if many of the issues are close to being resolved and it's important, I think, for the United States to show that it's still playing an active role. JIM FITZPATRICK

Now you support your President's war campaign in Iraq. Many people here don't and in fact on opponent and recent protestor is your friend, Gerry Adams. What would you advise him to do when the President is here. Should he join the protests or bite his tongue?

CONGRESSMAN PETER KING

Well Gerry Adams is a good friend, he and I obviously would have differences on certain issues. We don't disagree on the issue of the peace process in Northern Ireland and certainly I would hope that Gerry would put all his efforts right now into making sure that the United States can do what it can to help bring about a resolution of the, yet still unresolved issues which are narrowing by the day, by the way, in the Irish peace process.

JIM FITZPATRICK

So avoid carrying a placard then, that's your advice?

CONGRESSMAN PETER KING

Well yes, you know, Gerry can do what he wants. He's, you know, done a pretty good job of leadership so far. But I would think that he would remember all the tremendous work the United States has done. It was the American Government that really brought Gerry Adams and Sinn Féin on to the world stage and they have certainly performed very well and they've done their bit since they've gotten on that stage.

JIM FITZPATRICK

Mr Adams, you heard there what Congressman Peter King was saying, an ally of yours and basically he's saying, if you know what's good for you, you should avoid these protests. What are you going to do? GERRY ADAMS

Well we're part of the anti-war movement, I'm certainly part of the anti-war movement. Sinn Féin will be mobilising to show our opposition along with genuine anti-war activists throughout this island and I think it's very, very important that friends and allies, in terms of the peace process here, don't have to agree on every issue and I certainly, as Peter has conceded and he knows my position on this, don't agree with some (unclear) issues.

JIM FITZPATRICK

But the Americans have made it very plain, I mean this is a 'back me or you're against me' attitude that they have with this and another ally of yours, Neil O'Dowd, is writing in the most recent issue of the Irish Voice, and he's saying Sinn Féin would likely still be trying to battle their way out of the ghettos and into the mainstream if it were not for the American political interest and friendship and he's very strong about the fact that you seem have an anti-American stance in your own newspaper, An Phablacht, at the moment?
 GERRY ADAMS

Well, we don't have an anti-American stance and I think it's very important that all of us resist any anti-American sentiment being shown in what is a very legitimate opposition to what we consider to be an adventure in Iraq which will destabilise that entire region and which you (unclear) the power of the UN, which clearly should be arbitrator of these matters. Now, I mean, the US, right across, and I've been there just recently, is divided on this issue also and Irish America is divided on this issue. We have to be true to ourselves.

JIM FITZPATRICK

But you're (unclear) a lot of powerful friends?

GERRY ADAMS

But we have to be true to our principles. We want to see, in our own island, peace and justice and I think the people that you've mentioned have played a really important role in all of that and I think will continue to play an important role in all of that. 

I also think it's very important to commend President Bush, Richard Haass, who has taken up this issue, of peace in Ireland and has been very constructive in terms of dealing with that. But that doesn't mean that we have to someway bend the knee on other matters which we find ourselves in disagreement, with them about *****.

JIM FITZPATRICK

If I could just pause there just to tell you some of the feedback we're receiving from viewers. A lot of people are texting us at the moment so thanks for that, we'll only be able to give you a flavour. This one is from Marti in Ballymena who tells us, will Blair and Bush bring the Iraqis into Government the way they did with the IRA in Ulster. And another message here saying that the Army can't get out of Northern Ireland after 30 years, how will he get them out of Iraq after a month or two? So that gives you a flavour really of the two sides of this problem. You really are in a (unclear) dilemma about it?

GERRY ADAMS

Well, we're not, don't, Jim, get too excited about all of this. The President will come and the President will go.

JIM FITPATRICK

Thursday's the key day then is it?

GERRY ADAMS

Well, the summit has just come on to all of our radar screens recently. The big focus has been in trying to get acts of completion right across the board. Trying to get the British Prime Minister to actually commit, in a transparent way, to implementation plans, to do what he hasn't done thus far and that he acknowledges clearly which is, the completion of the act of the Good Friday Agreement. He's trying to get the Irish Government to do the same. It's trying to get the UUPŠ..

JIM FITZPATRICK

And the IRA to do something?

GERRY ADAMS

Of course, everybody has to be part of all of this and, I mean, that's what our endeavour has been and we're almost in hyper mode in terms of the engagement between us and the various other players, so let's deal with the constructive aspect of the Bush visit which is about our process, but let's also be true to ourselves in relation to issues which we are in disagreement with the Bush and Blair Government about (unclear) on thisŠ..

JIM FITZPATRICK

Sure, but can I deal with the next meeting then, Thursday, because would you expect more substantive progress there perhaps? If you get what you've been asking for from the British, how soon before you'll go to the IRA?

GERRY ADAMS

Well let's first of all see what we're going to get from the British and that's, you know, something which we can only comment on when we see it. 

JIM FITZPATRICK

But they have said that, you know, they're going to come on Thursday with a 'take it or leave it' plan. If it's, take it, as far as you're concerned, will you take it to the IRA?

GERRY ADAMS

Well, first of all, don't get into the language of take it or leave it, even at that some anonymous spokesperson out of Downing Street. The reality is there's a Good Friday Agreement there, the majority of people on this island, in both states in the island, have voted for it. It needs to be implemented, and the clock is ticking.

JIM FITZPATRICK

And the clock is ticking towards elections on May 29th. Are we going to see progress before then?
 GERRY ADAMS

Well, my endeavour and my aim, and the objective of our party and of our leadership, and I think right across the broad republican constituency, is to see progress. The unionists have a role to play, the British and Irish Governments have a role to play. The Americans now have a role to play as well, so let's see what the comparing collective outworkings of all of our endeavours from autumn of last year to this point. Let's see what that actually amounts to.

JIM FITZPATRICK

And of course it's a key time, the fifth anniversary of the Agreement coming up. Easter an important time for republicans, is it the right time, do you think, for moves to be made?

GERRY ADAMS

You have to deal with the tenure and you have to deal with the objective reality, you can't pick and choose your time. Obviously Easter coming up is a very emotive time when Irish republicans honour our patriot dead and think of people who have died, not just in this generation, but going back over all of the years and decades of resistance to British rule in this island. 

So it's obviously an emotive period, but we still have to deal with it. There is a job of work to be done, not least with unionism and I include Sammy Wilson in this. I think all people who have given within their own lives, a contribution to public life and political and social life on this island, have to figure out, can we get a future in which all elements of the people of the island can have ownership? And that's what the Good Friday Agreement essentially is about and that's what we have to try and see completed.

JIM FITZPATRICK

But we do know that the clock is ticking, as I said, and the Prime Minister's very busy with a war elsewhere. Is the IRA in a position to make a move if the British deliver what you've been asking for? GERRY ADAMS

Quite frankly I don't know. That's, you know, that's my honest answer on it. Many republicans are vexed by the behaviour of the British Government over the last five years. Many republicans don't have much confidence within the UUP which they see, from their perspective, all the time at bringing this Agreement down. Many republicans are watching the DUP, which have set their case against any sort of progressŠ.

JIM FITZPATRICK

But many are also happy, Sinn Féin, by all accounts, had a good time at the Hillsborough talks last time out. Neil O'Dowd wrote about it again in America, you got a lot of what you're asking for. Are you now ready to come back and give something in return?

GERRY ADAMS

Well, I was at the Hillsborough talks, neither yourself nor Neil O'Dowd was there and we will only see what has been got when we see that in the public arena, and it isn't for Sinn Féin by the way, this is above and beyond party politics. 

This is a Prime Minister from London, and just incidentally, those who raise an issue about us meeting President Bush, exactly the same context is there for not meeting with Mr Blair and we've been meeting with Mr Blair on a very, very regular basis because of our commitment to make this process work. So whatever comes out of these collective endeavours, let's make a judgement of it and when it sees the cold light of day, when we see it in cold print and can judge its transparencyŠ..

JIM FITZPATRICK

Will you be aiming to make the judgement though on Thursday, that's the key point here?

GERRY ADAMS

Well, we will be in a position to make a judgement and what have Sinn Féin to do? Sinn Féin have just to, if you like, work out our mandate and represent, along with others, our section of the electorate. But we will be able to make that judgement when the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister make public what they're going to do.

JIM FITZPATRICK

And, quickly, you will make that judgement quickly?

GERRY ADAMS

Well, I mean, we should be in the institutions. I mean it's wrong that the institutions have been stood down, it's wrong that they had been suspended. Our electorate and other sections of the electorate have been robbed of their entitlements and their rights to have their views represented, to have these institutions working on. So for Sinn Féin, if you're talking about, if you're trying to stroke IRA in this, that's a matter for the IRA.
 JIM FITZPATRICK

But the sooner the better?

GERRY ADAMS

Well let's, no, let's, all of use, rise to the challenges, there won't be in this phase, (unclear) of the process, you know, an awful lot of chances. Obviously this process has to work and we will continue to work at it until it actually is a matter of reality. But it takes an awful lot of stamina, an awful lot of time, we have done our best, let's see what the outworking of it is.

Program: Seven Days - Gerry Adams Date & Time April 6, 2003 - 13.15 p.m. Subject Summit with President Bush

MARK CARRUTHERS

The local parties, ahead of tomorrow's meeting, Mark Durkan certainly has been very vociferous, he's unhappy. Another man for whom the visit potentially poses a difficulty is the Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, who's with me now in the studio.

Are you less concerned than Mark Durkan?

GERRY ADAMS

Well I don't know how much Mark is concerned, but I certainly can identify for his stated sentiments and I've conveyed to Downing Street what I consider to be an insensitivity of having a war summit in Ireland. I think it shows no sensitivity at all for Irish concerns and Irish opposition to this war. 

There is a need, I think, for consistency from our point of view and Sinn Féin is for peace in Ireland, for peace in Iraq, for peace in the Middle East and while I value the foreign policy success of the White House's involvement in the Irish peace process going back over a decade, I certainly think that those who are against the war in Iraq should take the opportunity to demonstrate, I'm part of, and Sinn Féin, as part of the anti-war movement and our people certainly will be demonstrating over the next day or so.

MARK CARRUTHERS

It's interesting you say that, front page story in the Sunday Tribune today, 'Sinn Féin to join Bush blockade', and there's a story here which suggests that some of your party members and supporters of various groups. The Pat Finucane Centre, the Stop the War Coalition, will endeavour to hold demonstrations to stop the politicians, like yourself, actually getting in to Hillsborough Castle to meet the President. Some of them even saying, if they go in, if Sinn Féin representatives go in they'll have to go in on the back of a police baton charge because otherwise they'll not let them in?

GERRY ADAMS

Well I actually stopped, just in part of my own quality of life, reading Sunday newspapers some very long time ago, so I wouldn't put an awful lot of importance on that.

MARK CARRUTHERS

Right, well you'll appreciate I have to read them, it's an interesting point though isn't it?

GERRY ADAMS

But then what's the logic of that point. The logic of that point is that the meetings I have been doing with Mr Blair recently, but I shouldn't be meeting Mr Blair because Mr Blair is a partner in this enterprise. In fact I have met with Mr Blair consistently over the last week or so and have raised the case of Pat Finucane with him. So there needs to be a bit of consistency in all of this. 

We're against the war, we need to voice our concerns about that in whatever way we can, and I certainly support peaceful, genuine, efforts to show that the people of this island are against what's happening. We're for the regime in Iraq being disarmed of weapons of mass destruction, but through and on to the tutelage of the UN. 

We're against this unilateral action by the British and the American Governments, and I certainly think that there's a need for us to continue with that tack to get this war ended. But let's be consistent about it all.

MARK CARRUTHERS

So what's your message to Sinn Féin members, members of the Stop the War Coalition, Pat Finucane Centre supporters who may feel that they actually want to take part in such a demonstration and that, who don't think you should go in to Hillsborough Castle to meet President Bush, what do you say to them?

GERRY ADAMS

Well, I mean, I've already said what I want to say about that, but they should demonstrate. I think it's important that there is a sense, a message sent from this island that we don't become an add-on. That we do good business in terms of our own peace process, but we don't get caught up in contradictions in terms of the contradiction which the Governments of the US and the Downing Street Government, in our view, have at this moment.
 MARK CARRUTHERS

Will you try to raise that issue of Iraq with the President if you meet him tomorrow or Tuesday morning?

GERRY ADAMS

Well every time I have met with people from the US Government over the last six months we have raised this issue. We have raised it with Mr Blair, going back six months. We've raised it at every meeting in the last month and we obviously will raise it, if we get the opportunity to do so, because we're not people who are inconsistent in our approach.

If we have principles, and we do, if we have policy positions, and we do, then any opportunity we have to persuade people, and that's one of our lessons of our own process, is that you have to pro-activity listen, you have to dialogue. Governments have to play their part, the international community has to play its part as well. So, of course, yes, the short answer to your question, yes, if we get that opportunity we will.

MARK CARRUTHERS

How big a concern is it to you though to see this agenda, our domestic agenda, so far down the American political agenda at the moment. I mean it's so different, isn't it, to the way it was under Bill Clinton and that Ari Fleischer, I mean, it's a mistake, it's funny on one level, but it's also symptomatic of that big policy change within the White House isn't it?

GERRY ADAMS

Well it is and it isn't. You know, we've all made mistakes, yourself, myself in how we say things. There's a difference in style, there is not a difference in substance. MARK CARRUTHERS

There's a difference in the attention to detail though, that's the point?

GERRY ADAMS

Well not by Dr Haass. I mean Dr Haass is here on a very consistent basis and, you know, President Clinton not only represents a different party but has a totally different style and became very emotionally and intellectually involved in our process. But I know in all of my deliberations and working with those who are charged with this responsibility from the US administration, there is an eye to detail. But the big thing, you see, we need to understand about all of this is that the vehicle in the USA for the Irish peace process is Irish America and there is a remarkable amount of detail. I mean internet and all of that has brought a huge amount of information into people within that region and Irish America, of course, is divided on this issue of the war in Iraq also. I mean it reflects very much, I suppose, opinion within the Western world. Now in terms of, can the US play a positive role in developing our peace process? Yes, they can. Does that mean we have to agree with all foreign policy matters? No, it doesn't. Does that mean that we're mute in terms of how we deal with them? No, but we obviously have to have our own focus on our own process.

MARK CARRUTHERS

Yes, it was interesting you raised the issue of Irish America because I want to turn to that now, and you talk about Irish America being divided on the war. It's fair to say, certainly there is an element, if not the majority, certainly a significant element within Irish America which is very supportive of the conflict in Iraq and very supportive of President Bush's handling of it. Neil O'Dowd is someone you've been close to professionally over many years and, I don't know if you saw the recent article that he's written where he really criticises Sinn Féin and republicans for not being more understanding of America's difficulties and supporting this conflict. I mean it's very, very strong stuff?

GERRY ADAMS

Well, I read that piece and, you know, Neil is a friend of mine, I actually write for his newspaper. But, what our opposition and our problem is, is with the US Government, not with the American people. The people in the USA have suffered a huge blow in terms of the outworking of Sept. 11. A lot of Irish Americans were killed, including actual supporters of Irish people who had hosted, one person particularly, who had hosted a friends of Sinn Féin event in the Twin Towers. 

So you can see how emotions, especially when their soldiers were in the field, how emotions can be caught up in all of this. But, you know, we disagree and we have never been, you know, I went to Cuba, I was told not to go, I went because we have a different international view. There are other matters which the US has raised with us in terms of our foreign policy into international position. We have a different view and that doesn't mean that we cannot agree on some matters because we disagree on other matters.
 MARK CARRUTHERS

But Neil O'Dowd, what he does is he highlights, I suppose if I had to find a word to describe it, what he views is a sort of immaturity within republicanism in dealing with this, you may disagree, but maybe you could just tone it down a bit, keep it quiet a little bitŠ.

GERRY ADAMS

I think he has a point there.

MARK CARRUTHERS

Let me just, some people might not be familiar with it, but An Phablacht Republican News this week, in one of the suggestions that come up at your recent Ard Fheis is that people might contemplate guzzling 17 pints of larger and swallowing six kebabs and then throwing up outside the US Embassy on the way home from the convention because of the war. Now that strikes a very bad cord with Neil O'Dowd?

GERRY ADAMS

Well, first of all, it didn't come up at the Ard Fheis. It is a quote from an article, a column in the An Phoblacht which is called the 'Fifth Column' which actually picks up a piece in an American paper where US anti-war activists did exactly what that says and the writer, I think quite erroneously and quite wrongly, said that this wouldn't happen here. But, so, I mean, there's a misquote and a miss, maybe not so much misrepresentation, but certainly mis-informationŠ.

MARK CARRUTHERS

On the part of Neil O'Dowd, I'm simply conveying what he's written.

GERRY ADAMS

Yes, I understand that, but of course that's juvenile and I make the point and I'm sure the vast majority of people who are against this war in Iraq are against what is happening, are against the conflict. But they aren't not anti-American and I'm certainly not anti-American although I disagree with the US Government on these profound issues. But, yes, that is juvenile journalism in my view.

MARK CARRUTHERS

And the final point that Neil makes, the An Phoblacht message seems to be clear, keep the money and the lobbying coming, but when it comes to your wars, just or not, we'd prefer to throw up outside your Embassy?

GERRY ADAMS

Well that isn't the case. We have a very, very clear position and Neil O'Dowd is representing what I think is an erroneous argument and that is that in some way the anti-war sentiment in Ireland is anti-American and I don't know, he kick started this some time ago. It consumed a letter page of the Irish Times and other periodicals for months. 

I think he's mistaken. The reason I gave the example of Sept. 11 is because I have been there, I have met with people who have been bereaved and I can understand how all of this emotion flies about. But let's keep our focus, the war on Iraq is wrong. It should be ended, there is a need, and it's crying to the heavens need, to have the Middle East conflict settled and there's an Irish peace process that needs our attention.

MARK CARRUTHERS

Okay, one final point. Let's leave aside the war on Iraq, let's leave aside Monday and Tuesday's big pow wow at Hillsborough. There's still a meeting scheduled for Thursday between Bertie Ahern, Tony Blair and the other pro-Agreement parties. Is there going to be a deal this week which will be on time for elections on May 29th?

GERRY ADAMS

Well contrary to what Mark Devenport had said, we continue to be engaged with both the two Governments, with Dr Haass and indeed with the Ulster Unionist Party, because what we have to see coming out of these deliberations, are joint declarations and other announcements by the two Governments. Commitments about completing the act of the Good Friday Agreement, which Mr Blair acknowledged was not fully implemented. 

We need some sense that unionists are going to both sustain and stabilise institutions, that they're going to work them, and as a party who has been, you know, primary to all of this, we want to see the institutions re-resurrected, if you like, and us and everybody else back into it and if we can get that all done then hopefully other matters of concerns like putting arms beyond use and so on and so forth, can be dealt with also. 

But it's still too close to call, let's wait to we see what comes out in terms of clear black and white words which are time framed, which have a transparent quality about them and which are about implementation plans, acts of completion of the Good Friday Agreement.
 ****** Program: Seven Days - Mark Devenport Date & Time: April 6, 2003 - 13.09 p.m. Subject Summit with President Bush

MARK CARRUTHERS

First to the big local connection in all this the council of war between President Bush and Prime Minister Blair tomorrow and Tuesday here in Northern Ireland, our political editor Mark Devenport has been following the remarkably short build up to the joint visit and he joins me now.

Mark , we planned several Clinton visits over many, many months and everyone's had about three or four days to plan this one. Did it come as a bolt out the blue on Friday?

MARK DEVENPORT

I think it was a bolt out of the blue until some farmers noticed a couple of US Galaxy Aircraft touching down at RAF Aldergrove nobody really had a clue and then when we put in some calls to try to find out whether this was some development in the war, if the US were routing flights through Aldergrove as opposed to Shannon or something then it became clear that instead preparations were underway for a VIP visit, shortly there after that it was the biggest VIP of them all. 

But certainly a big contrast to the Clinton visits that we covered, no kind of huge build up and obviously George W Bush is as anybody who attended the recent St Patrick's day celebrations would know, doesn't have the same kind of immersion and the detail of the Northern Ireland process as did Bill Clinton and I think that became pretty evident at a White House briefing where the White House spokesman Ari Fleischer was asked about the precise location of this summit. 

MEDIA

Where in Northern Ireland will the two leaders meet? ARI FLIESHER

DublinŠI'm sorry I said Dublin I have written down Belfast and I've said Dublin. Belfast Šthank you for thatŠI was not a geography major.

MARK CARRUTHES

That was embarrassing wasn't it?

MARK DEVENPORT

A bit of gaff there as though one of the White House reporters pointed out to him it really would be a historic development if Dublin became part Northern Ireland in the future.

MARK CARRUTHERS

Yes, I mean a lot of people will read a lot into that maybe that's right or maybe that's wrong but does certainly give you a sense that the Northern Ireland aspect our political process is certainly not what this is all about.

MARK DEVENPORT

I think it's a tack-on, if you like. Clearly what's going to happen is the President's going to arrive on late Monday afternoon. He's going to go into a dinner and a summit together with the Prime Minister. They're probably going to have Colin Powell and Jack Straw in attendance and one can imagine that their discussions will be dominated by Iraq, by whether the UN should have a role, by their plans for the Middle East and this road map about the possibility of a Palestinian state in the future. That will carry on during the course of Tuesday morning before a press availability, where the world's press is going to be in attendance, obviously asking all about Iraq. And then after that then you get, if you like, the tack-on section of this which is that Bertie Ahern joins the President and the Prime Minister and then they see a series of pro-Agreement parties leaders coming through, probably just two from each party. But what will have to inevitably be, I think, fairly brief meetings before the President jets off on the Tuesday. So it is a bit of a tack-on I think.

MARK CARRUTHERS

And are we assuming at this stage, I mean I don't know how much you know and how much you can say, but the assumption has to be that this will all take place at Hillsborough Castle?

MARK DEVENPORT

Yes, I think, normally people would say, well because of security you can't go into too many precise details, but it's been pretty well advertised that Hillsborough is more or less going to be completely sealed off. It's going to be an interesting 24 hours in the lives of any residents of Hillsborough because we're being told that people aren't going to be getting much closer, unless they are residents to Hillsborough Castle, than around Sprucefield or so, that's probably where the international press is going to be based. 
 So, yes, it's little secret that, as far as I understand it, going to be a very tight timetable, no kind of walk abouts along the Clinton lines. No visits elsewhere unless something gets out into the schedule which is definitely not there at the moment, instead this really rather focused, very political meeting, mostly about the Middle East but with Northern Ireland added on. I think it is interesting obviously that they picked Northern Ireland and I think the sense is that it works both ways. 

They believe that it will take a little bit of the sheen of just being a war summit by adding this extra notion of peace and that, that is attractive from both the President and the Prime Minister's perspective, and also there's a bit of a pay back so far as the British Government's concerned. The only question is, I mean it's clever, but is it perhaps too clever because obviously there's been a negative reaction on various sides here because of that.

MARK CARRUTHERS

Yes, I mean that's the interesting thing isn't it. If you read the papers over the weekend they're all saying it's quite a stroke of genius on one level for Blair to manage to get Bush to actually attend this meeting in Northern Ireland and to help him move forward our process. 

But there is this fear that it might backfire, because many people are already unhappy with the visit and I suppose Mark Durkan has been one of the most outspoken saying he's personally pretty unhappy about it and he fears, frankly, discussing the Iraqi conflict in Northern Ireland could actually have a negative impact on our process and we hear today the bridge, one of the main bridges in Derry's been blocked, 'the stop the War Coalition' say they're going to try to protest, well maybe not at Hillsborough now, at Sprucefield perhaps tomorrow?

MARK DEVENPORT

Well commentators have been saying that one of the calculations that maybe the Prime Minister was making was that, on simply public order grounds, this summit might be easier to control than if it was held, say, close to London, that they'd have really huge crowds, now it's going to be a test obviously of anti-war sentiment both North and South of the border to see how big any kind of protest is. 

Obviously what will materialise, I don't think there's much question about that. Whether it's too clever or not I don't know, I mean most of the detailed negotiation in relation to any deal that there might be here has already been carried out. 

So I don't think it's going to scupper any deal, maybe it'll add a little bit of extra pressure on the key players. But it has set up this interesting irony that on the one hand you've got, and this was always predictable, anti-Agreement unionists saying, look we're being sold unpalatable concessions on the back of a glamorous VIP visit and that would have always been predictable. But on the other side you've got pro-Agreement nationalists saying, look we're being used as stage props to sell to the world a war that we want to have nothing to do with.

Program: GMU - Secretary of State Date: April 6, 2003 Subject Meeting with George Bush and Tony Blair

WENDY AUSTIN

So the US President, George W. Bush, and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, fly into Northern Ireland today for a summit over Iraq. They'll meet in Hillsborough for talks which will also embrace the Middle East dilemma and the peace process here. The man who'll meet them at Hillsborough is the Secretary of State, Paul Murphy.

I suppose locally we need to look at the situation here if we could to begin with, there's a feeling abroad that despite the fact that there wasn't too much optimism until the weekend, that nevertheless the President wouldn't be coming here if he didn't think there was likely to be some kind of result from this. Is that the right or the wrong way to read it?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well I'm reasonably optimistic but we're not there yet and there's some distance to go, after all everybody has to take part in these acts of completion that the Prime Minister talked about. The Governments will put forward what they think will be the right things to do on Thursday and as well of that, of course, we want to see acts of completion from the IRA too. So it is an extremely important week. 
 There's a will and a determination amongst the pro-Agreement parties certainly to try and resolve these matters, it's never easy, these things never are, but at the same time I think that people still have to do a fair bit of work during the course of the next few days. 

WENDY AUSTIN

What role do you see the President as playing in this now. I mean we're not going to pretend for a moment that Northern Ireland's going to occupy most of their time because that's obviously not the case. But, what role do you see that he will be able to play to help reach the kind of result that you are talking about?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well the same role really that previous American administrations, including President Clinton had, and that was to encourage and to encourage the parties, all of them, to come to an agreement and I think that over the last number of years the United States has played a significantly important role in doing precisely that and the fact that he can be in person doing that, here in Northern Ireland, will I hope, be an impetus to resolving the issues and if we take our minds back to a few weeks ago in Washington, the President then took time off a very busy schedule to make a very good speech about what's needed in Northern Ireland and I hope we'll be able to do the same this week.

WENDY AUSTIN

Of course he's had his advisor, Richard Haass, here over the, throughout the process since he took over in the White House. But nevertheless there is a feeling here that this President has a different attitude to Northern Ireland, that it's much lower down his list of priorities, and that feeling must have been underlined when Ari Fleisher, his spokesman, was asked last week, what part of Northern Ireland these talks were going to take place in, and his answer was Dublin?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well, I can't answer the geography of the American officials. But at the same I know because I've talked to the President myself about the issue when I was in St Patrick's Day celebration. Richard Haass is an amazingly significant figure in all this, in the sense that he's been involved with all the parties, he knows the issues inside out, but of course he advises Colin Powell and he advises the President on Northern Ireland matters. 

Of course it is different now, from what it was of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. They were more heady times, if you like. The whole world was concentrating on Northern Ireland to make that deal back in 1998, and of course this is in a sense the anniversary of that. Now of course, some people would see, and I think they're probably right, there has been progress, considerable progress in Northern Ireland, we've come to this impasse though, since last October, and the Americans like everybody else, do hope that we're going to resolve that matter, as the next few days evolve.

WENDY AUSTIN

There's something slightly bizarre, I don't know if you'd agree with me about the thought, we're watching pictures this morning, we're hearing news from Baghdad that it looks as though the battle for Baghdad may have started, there is even a possibility that the city of Baghdad might fall, while the President of the United States, the leader of the coalition forces, if we want to put it like that, is at Hillsborough Castle having a meeting, it does seem a bit strange, doesn't it?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well of course he's having a meeting with his coalition partner, with the Prime Minister, and Hillsborough has seen some dramatic events in the past as well, and if as you suggest Wendy, that perhaps the next day or so, Baghdad does fall to coalition forces, and increasingly looks like that, and incidentally I think we ought to pay tribute to the Irish Guards, the Royal Irish soldiers who are out there, and they're doing a very good job in Southern Iraq and in Basra. But it is significant, I think that we could see that happen in the next day or two, and it is perhaps appropriate that if it did happen that the 2 coalition partners are together and discuss these matters and what happens afterwards.
 WENDY AUSTIN

So we've had meetings already, but before the war started both Prime Ministers travelled to the Azores, Tony Blair travelled then to Camp David, this is the return bout if you like. Is it also an indication, and you sit on the Cabinet and know what's going on there, of the fact that Tony Blair does have the kind of clout with the American President, that he and his people say he has, but which was questioned by others?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well I think he does have enormous influence. We all know for example that we tried very much indeed to get the United Nations involved in this over the number of months. I think that was very much the product of Tony Blair and what he was trying to ensure was the best way forward. But at the same time I know that the President has enormous regard for him. 

As a world statesman who has been involved in issues such as this since he became Prime Minister, whether it's Kosovo or wherever it might be, and I do think there is an important chemistry between the 2 men, which means that we can hopefully go towards success in this particular conflict. But at the same time, as I say happening in Hillsborough is significant, it's significant obviously in terms of the 2 heads of Government getting together, but it's also significant because it can mean we can encourage the peace process here in Northern Ireland too.

WENDY AUSTIN

Do you think that that chemistry will be enough to allow Mr Blair's will to prevail as far as the reconstruction of Iraq is concerned, because that's something which is causing, it would seem, almost everyone outside the United States concern, they have one view, the rest of the world seems to have another?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well I think the view that all of us have is that Iraq really must be governed by Iraqis and that at the end of the day, and perhaps that day isn't too far away, where the whole of the country of Iraq, with all its different elements comes under a new democratic organisation, new Government which is composed of Iraqis, that's the aim. 

Now in the meantime, of course, the coalition forces are there, they'll have to put things together when all this conflict ends, and I hope that's not too far away, and inevitably that's going to take place, the United Nations of course will have a role. But at the same time the aim of everybody whether it's America or whether it's United Kingdom or anywhere else, surely must be that Iraq must be governed by Iraqis.

WENDY AUSTIN

Just back, for a final question to our situation here, do you think you'll have good news to announce then on Thursday, that seems to be the day?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well I hope so, and I know that people in Northern Ireland are very anxious this week that we do resolve these issues, that we do get a deal, an enormous amount of work has been put into this over the last number of months, the determination is there, let's make sure in this week we actually do that deal. 

Program: Westminster Hour - Radio 4 Date & Time: April 6, 2003 - 22.15 Subject Talks this week at Hillsborough

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

George Bush flies into Belfast tomorrow for what can only be called, 'a war and peace summit' with Tony Blair. The conflict in Iraq and the peace process in Northern Ireland are jostling uneasily together on the agenda. Downing Street regards it as something of a coup, to have got the American President to fly over the Atlantic, an answer to those who accused the Prime Minister of being the President's poodle. A demonstration of Mr Blair's importance to and influence on Mr Bush. What is the substance? What is the exact purpose of bringing the American President to Northern Ireland? Is it because he can make a significant difference to breaking the deadlock there, or is it a public relations payback to Tony Blair for being such a staunch ally in Iraq? Well I ask the Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy, what precisely is the point of George Bush coming to Belfast?

SECRETARY OF STATE

I think that there is something about having face to face meetings, you know you simply can't replicate over a telephone. I find myself in all the different negotiations I have to deal with, that there is nothing better than talking through something, particularly something as important and as serious as this, and of course it coincides too with a very critical week for Northern Ireland. It's probably the most important one I think since the Good Friday Agreement, and we've now got the chance to improve the rest of the Agreement in one final step, and the Americans right throughout this process have played a huge really important role in supporting us. 
 So in fact we're dealing with these two issues, obviously Iraq is the one that is hugely important, but it's also hugely important for us in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland to deal with the issues that affect us at the moment.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

Let me come in on that, because you'll know some of the politicians in Northern Ireland are rather sceptical about what the presence of the American President is supposed to achieve, not least because President Bush doesn't have so much of a history of engagement with the problems in Northern Ireland, certainly not compared with Bill Clinton, moreover both George Bush and Tony Blair will be understandably preoccupied with the war in Iraq. I mean how much of their time will actually be spent on Ireland, it will be less than half of a short trip, won't it?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Yes, well if you think in terms of just a few weeks ago, when all the leaders of the pro-Agreement parties here in Northern Ireland actually went to Washington. They met, as I met, the President on that occasion, and the President made an extremely useful speech, despite the fact that his mind of course was on all these other matters, that the importance of moving ahead in the Good Friday Agreement of the peace process and Richard Haass, Ambassador Haass, who has been designated as the Administration Specialist, as it were, in Northern Ireland, and of course will be with us, is someone who has been vitally important pushing the parties forward.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

We'll get back to my point which is, when George Bush is in Belfast, how much of the time will actually be spent talking about Northern Ireland?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well we'll have to wait and see of course, because Presidential time is short, like Prime Ministerial time is short. A section of that time on Tuesday will be devoted to this, the Taoiseach is going to be there, all the important world leaders, if you like, in terms of bringing the Northern Ireland peace process together again, will be present in one place in Hillsborough, and that I think is extremely helpful.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

What many people would like to see come out of these meetings is a firm declaration by the IRA that their so-called war is over. what Tony Blair calls the acts of completion. Can President Bush deliver that?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well (unclear) he can deliver that, the only people who can deliver that, of course are the IRA Š

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

Alright, can he persuade them to deliver it?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well I think he can help certainly. If the President of United States, who represented the Administration and the one before which did an awful lot in persuading the republican movement to move towards where we are at the moment, I think that is something which could be hugely important, and I do hope that in the next week, we will see these acts of completion being described, whether its from us in terms of our joint declaration, whether it's the IRA doing what they have to do. But I think the fact that we've got these world leaders and Prime Ministers with us, will actually help that process.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

So just to be clear, you were sounding pretty confident there, that by the end of this coming week, the IRA might well have embarked on the acts of completion, as it's called?

SECRETARY OF STATE

No what we will be looking for, of course is a statement Š

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

But you're confident you might get that?

SECRETARY OF STATE

We don't take anything for granted. But I think at the same time, everybody is working, every party is committed to working towards this end, and of course I don't know until we see what actually happens. But I do know that there is a will on the part of all the parties to move forward, and it's very difficult because of the history of this place, and all the different individual histories of the parties, to do what they have to do. But everybody knows that unless we rebuild the confidence and the trust which has been lost, we won't actually get to that point we want to arrive at.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

Now here's a bit of an irony. At the very same time that America and Britain are disarming Iraq by force, as part of the war on world terrorism, George Bush and Tony Blair will be talking to the political wing of a terrorist organisation which has been financed by Americans over many years, and it's still holding onto a lot of its weapons. This will strike many people, particularly unionists in Northern Ireland, as profoundly ironic to say the least?
 SECRETARY OF STATE

So far as the terrorist's side is concerned, and as long as there was terrorist violence in Northern Ireland, we opposed that with force, and of course with the so-called dissident republicans, we still do precisely that. But the point of all this is that there has been a ceasefire, and there wouldn't have been a peace process without it. Now of course at the same time, we know that they've been continuing activity of sorts over the last number of years, that's led to the collapse of trust, and we have to rebuild that, but the fact is that Northern Ireland is a very, very different place now than it was 8, 9, 10 years ago, when there was an enormous amount of terrorist violence on our streets.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

If the IRA isn't persuaded to declare that it's war is over, and to start disarming for good, is there going to be any point in going ahead with elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly, which are scheduled for the end of May? David Trimble, the leader of the Ulster Unionists has repeatedly made it clear that he won't, can't return to power-sharing with Sinn Féin unless the IRA disarms. If they don't, will those elections still go ahead?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well as I say, let's hope that there will be positive news this week.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

But if there isn't?

SECRETARY OF STATE

We don't know that. But I certainly have no plans to change those elections, we've just put a Bill through the House of Commons to change it to May 29th, there is no provision in that act in order to put it on any other particular date. In my view the parties are now preparing for elections, and it's wise for them to continue.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

One of the things Mr Blair still hasn't ironed out with Mr Bush, is the disagreement between Britain and America about how Iraq is run after the conflict, and who runs the country. The Prime Minister says there should be a partnership with the United Nations, the most America seems to want to countenance is a role for the UN. There's a big difference there, I could have a role in your office making your morning coffee, but it wouldn't make me your partner. If Mr Blair really has as much influence over the White House as is claimed, he will have to persuade George Bush to move on this, won't he?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well obviously they'll be talking about post-conflict in Iraq over the next couple of days when they are here in Northern Ireland. But at the same time, it seems to me that we have to see what's going to happen, immediately this conflict ceases, clearly there's going to be a time when the coalition will have to act in Iraq, in the business of keeping order, in the business of bringing humanitarian aid in, which of course the United Nations is involved in, and to make sure the place is liveable. 

At the same time our aim is of course for Iraq to govern itself, for Iraqis to govern Iraq, and the exact nature of how we lead to that is something we'll have to consider obviously in the days and weeks ahead. But in the immediate aftermath of the end of the conflict, obviously the coalition forces will have to deal with those issues.

 ANDREW RAWNSLEY

That's understandable, but you see the Deputy American Defence Secretary Paul Wolverbid said today, that a prolonged US military presence may be required in Iraq. He said the situation could even be comparable to post-war Germany. Now it's more than 50 years since Hitler was removed and American troops are still in Germany now. That's going to alarm a lot of people, including Labour MPs, isn't it?

SECRETARY OF STATE

I sincerely hope that we're not going to see 50 years (unclear) situation there, but it seems to me that at the end of the day we have to work towards the Iraqis themselves governing Iraq. I think that the people of Iraq would want that. we have to obviously look at the different types of people who live in Iraq, at the same time we have to accommodate the different parties and all the rest of it, but I think that the case for Iraqis running Iraq is indisputable, and the sooner that we get to that the better.
 *****

Programme Westminster Hour - Radio 4 Date & Time April 6, 2003 - 22.15 Subject Talks this week at Hillsborough

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

George Bush flies into Belfast tomorrow for what can only be called, 'a war and peace summit' with Tony Blair. The conflict in Iraq and the peace process in Northern Ireland are jostling uneasily together on the agenda. Downing Street regards it as something of a coup, to have got the American President to fly over the Atlantic, an answer to those who accused the Prime Minister of being the President's poodle. A demonstration of Mr Blair's importance to and influence on Mr Bush. What is the substance? What is the exact purpose of bringing the American President to Northern Ireland? Is it because he can make a significant difference to breaking the deadlock there, or is it a public relations payback to Tony Blair for being such a staunch ally in Iraq? Well I ask the Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy, what precisely is the point of George Bush coming to Belfast?

SECRETARY OF STATE

I think that there is something about having face to face meetings, you know you simply can't replicate over a telephone. I find myself in all the different negotiations I have to deal with, that there is nothing better than talking through something, particularly something as important and as serious as this, and of course it coincides too with a very critical week for Northern Ireland. It's probably the most important one I think since the Good Friday Agreement, and we've now got the chance to improve the rest of the Agreement in one final step, and the Americans right throughout this process have played a huge really important role in supporting us. So in fact we're dealing with these 2 issues, obviously Iraq is the one that is hugely important, but it's also hugely important for us in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland to deal with the issues that affect us at the moment.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

Let me come in on that, because you'll know some of the politicians in Northern Ireland are rather sceptical about what the presence of the American President is supposed to achieve, not least because President Bush doesn't have so much of a history of engagement with the problems in Northern Ireland, certainly not compared with Bill Clinton, moreover both George Bush and Tony Blair will be understandably preoccupied with the war in Iraq. I mean how much of their time will actually be spent on Ireland, it will be less than half of a short trip, won't it?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Yes, well if you think in terms of just a few weeks ago, when all the leaders of the pro-Agreement parties here in Northern Ireland actually went to Washington. They met, as I met, the President on that occasion, and the President made an extremely useful speech, despite the fact that his mind of course was on all these other matters, that the importance of moving ahead in the Good Friday Agreement of the peace process and Richard Haass, Ambassador Haass, who has been designated as the Administration Specialist, as it were, in Northern Ireland, and of course will be with us, is someone who has been vitally important pushing the parties forward.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

We'll get back to my point which is, when George Bush is in Belfast, how much of the time will actually be spent talking about Northern Ireland?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well we'll have to wait and see of course, because Presidential time is short, like Prime Ministerial time is short. A section of that time on Tuesday will be devoted to this, the Taoiseach is going to be there, all the important world leaders, if you like, in terms of bringing the Northern Ireland peace process together again, will be present in one place in Hillsborough, and that I think is extremely helpful.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

What many people would like to see come out of these meetings is a firm declaration by the IRA that their so-called war is over. what Tony Blair calls the acts of completion. Can President Bush deliver that?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well (unclear) he can deliver that, the only people who can deliver that, of course are the IRA 

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

Alright, can he persuade them to deliver it?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well, I think he can help certainly. If the President of United States, who represented the Administration and the one before which did an awful lot in persuading the republican movement to move towards where we are at the moment, I think that is something which could be hugely important, and I do hope that in the next week, we will see these acts of completion being described, whether its from us in terms of our joint declaration, whether it's the IRA doing what they have to do. But I think the fact that we've got these world leaders and Prime Ministers with us, will actually help that process.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

So just to be clear, you were sounding pretty confident there, that by the end of this coming week, the IRA might well have embarked on the acts of completion, as it's called?

SECRETARY OF STATE

No what we will be looking for, of course is a statement 

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

But you're confident you might get that?

SECRETARY OF STATE

We don't take anything for granted. But I think at the same time, everybody is working, every party is committed to working towards this end, and of course I don't know until we see what actually happens. 

But I do know that there is a will on the part of all the parties to move forward, and it's very difficult because of the history of this place, and all the different individual histories of the parties, to do what they have to do. But everybody knows that unless we rebuild the confidence and the trust which has been lost, we won't actually get to that point we want to arrive at.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

Now here's a bit of an irony. At the very same time that America and Britain are disarming Iraq by force, as part of the war on world terrorism, George Bush and Tony Blair will be talking to the political wing of a terrorist organisation which has been financed by Americans over many years, and it's still holding onto a lot of its weapons. This will strike many people, particularly unionists in Northern Ireland, as profoundly ironic to say the least?

SECRETARY OF STATE

So far as the terrorist's side is concerned, and as long as there was terrorist violence in Northern Ireland, we opposed that with force, and of course with the so-called dissident republicans, we still do precisely that. But the point of all this is that there has been a ceasefire, and there wouldn't have been a peace process without it. 

Now of course at the same time, we know that they've been continuing activity of sorts over the last number of years, that's led to the collapse of trust, and we have to rebuild that, but the fact is that Northern Ireland is a very, very different place now than it was eight, nine, 10 years ago, when there was an enormous amount of terrorist violence on our streets.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

If the IRA isn't persuaded to declare that it's war is over, and to start disarming for good, is there going to be any point in going ahead with elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly, which are scheduled for the end of May? David Trimble, the leader of the Ulster Unionists has repeatedly made it clear that he won't, can't return to power-sharing with Sinn Féin unless the IRA disarms. If they don't, will those elections still go ahead?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well as I say, let's hope that there will be positive news this week.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

But if there isn't?

SECRETARY OF STATE

We don't know that. But I certainly have no plans to change those elections, we've just put a Bill through the House of Commons to change it to May 29th, there is no provision in that act in order to put it on any other particular date. In my view the parties are now preparing for elections, and it's wise for them to continue.

ANDREW RAWNSLEY

One of the things Mr Blair still hasn't ironed out with Mr Bush, is the disagreement between Britain and America about how Iraq is run after the conflict, and who runs the country. The Prime Minister says there should be a partnership with the United Nations, the most America seems to want to countenance is a role for the UN. 
 There's a big difference there, I could have a role in your office making your morning coffee, but it wouldn't make me your partner. If Mr Blair really has as much influence over the White House as is claimed, he will have to persuade George Bush to move on this, won't he?

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well, obviously they'll be talking about post-conflict in Iraq over the next couple of days when they are here in Northern Ireland. But at the same time, it seems to me that we have to see what's going to happen, immediately this conflict ceases, clearly there's going to be a time when the coalition will have to act in Iraq, in the business of keeping order, in the business of bringing humanitarian aid in, which of course the United Nations is involved in, and to make sure the place is liveable. 

At the same time our aim is of course for Iraq to govern itself, for Iraqis to govern Iraq, and the exact nature of how we lead to that is something we'll have to consider obviously in the days and weeks ahead. But in the immediate aftermath of the end of the conflict, obviously the coalition forces will have to deal with those issues.

 ANDREW RAWNSLEY

That's understandable, but you see the Deputy American Defence Secretary Paul Wolverbid said today, that a prolonged US military presence may be required in Iraq. He said the situation could even be comparable to post-war Germany. Now it's more than 50 years since Hitler was removed and American troops are still in Germany now. That's going to alarm a lot of people, including Labour MPs, isn't it?

SECRETARY OF STATE

I sincerely hope that we're not going to see 50 years (unclear) situation there, but it seems to me that at the end of the day we have to work towards the Iraqis themselves governing Iraq. I think that the people of Iraq would want that. we have to obviously look at the different types of people who live in Iraq, at the same time we have to accommodate the different parties and all the rest of it, but I think that the case for Iraqis running Iraq is indisputable, and the sooner that we get to that the better.

Program: DTR Date & Time April 7, 2003 - 11 a.m. News Subject This week's talks at Hillsborough 

ROBERT SKATES

The Secretary of State has given an upbeat assessment of the prospects of the IRA agreeing to disarm, hours before George Bush arrives here for a summit meeting with Tony Blair on the Iraqi war. Paul Murphy says he hopes that by the end of the week the IRA will have produced a statement on how it intends to carry out its act of completion regarding weapons. It's also believed the British and Irish Governments will produce 3 documents on Thursday, in a bid to salvage the political process here. Mr Murphy says it's an important period for the future of Northern Ireland.

SECRETARY OF STATE

The two Prime Minister, of course, will be announcing the joint declaration later this week. They will look at all sorts of issues, human rights, equality, the whole question of where we go in Northern Ireland over the next number of years. But as well as that, of course, there has to be an act of completion right across the board. All parties have to deal with these issues, and particularly we want to ensure that the IRA plays their part too, in bringing about an agreement. So it is a hugely important week.

ROBERT SKATES

Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble says the moment of truth is approaching for the peace process. He hopes President Bush can put pressure on republicans to make significant moves towards the end of the week.

DAVID TRIMBLE

I think there will be (unclear) a little impatience with those who continue to drag their feet, not just on policing, but also on disarmament and on making it clear that the private armies, the private terrorist armies are a thing of the past, and that they will be wound up, disbanded, stood down, whatever you like.

Program: GMU Date: April 7, 2003 Subject TALKS THIS WEEK AT HILLSBOROUGH 

CONOR BRADFORD

Mark, we had some guarded optimism from the Secretary of State there. How do you see this week panning out?
 MARK DEVENPORT

Well clearly this is a bit of added drama if you like before what in terms of the local peace process will be the main working point of the week which will be Thursday when the British and Irish Governments are due to publish their joint proposals. The Americans who I have been speaking to over the course of the weekend seem to share that optimism that Paul Murphy voiced. I spoke to a senior US official on conditions of anonymity. 

He said that they thought that President Bush's intervention would not be decisive. They could only use their influence, it would be up to political leaders to make decisions. But asked about the prospects for a deal, the prospects for a generous IRA response to the British and Irish government proposals, he said he was fairly optimistic about the entire set of compromises, fairly upbeat about what's being negotiated and the quality of the consultations and he also said that he thought there needed to be actions from the IRA to back up words fairly quickly soon after the release of the Government's proposals on Thursday.

CONOR BRADFORD

The question Mark is that why exactly George Bush is coming here Mark? There are some who are saying that Hillsborough is a lot easier to police than London would be and the fact that he's in Northern Ireland is merely coincidental.

MARK DEVENPORT

It was undoubtedly a British idea and I think security may have played a part in it but there was a lot of sense I think on the British side that it might cut both ways in the sense that there would be a bit of payback for Tony Blair in relation to adding weight to the pressure on the key players here and also that it might take some of the sense of it being a war summit if they were also talking about peace. 

The news today is really quite bizarre if you think about it. We're talking about first of all Northern Ireland is the most secure part of the UK for them to meet, not something we would have said a few years ago. Also the news this morning of a US President arriving for his first ever visit isn't the main item in the news because we're talking about the battle for Baghdad. I should say in terms of the suggestion that it's cynical or hypocritical for them to actually meet here in essence to look for window dressing or cover in the peace process, the Americans are being pretty robust in their response there. 

That has been voiced by not only anti-war protestors but also particularly by both Sinn Féin and the SDLP who feel very uncomfortable about all of this but the senior US official that I spoke to said as I say that that was an absurd suggestion. He said they weren't embarrassed about the Iraqi war. There was nothing that they had to hide. They knew that there were people who disagreed with them then so be it. He said it was just that given the timing there was a sense that they could also accomplish something on Northern Ireland. 

CONOR BRADFORD

If to put us in the bigger picture Mark if there is a move this week and we get the joint proposals on Thursday and we do get some sort of agreement, what's the best case for the Assembly coming back and how does that play with the forthcoming elections? 

MARK DEVENPORT

I think it is unlikely that the Assembly will actually be brought back for any period of time to sit prior to those elections which are due on May 29th. I think we would see a publication of proposals this Thursday, potentially a response from the IRA shortly thereafter and just to throw another quick quote from the American perspective in, they said that the message must be whatever words are used, that the era of violent struggle is over, and then it would go to an Ulster Unionist ruling council to ponder whether when they put all those pieces together, whether there's enough there for them to actually endorse. 

There may be an end to the period, current period of suspension, perhaps even on voting day or in and around that, but I think that there's a sense that to actually call them back to the Assembly, and perhaps to have hot and heavy exchanges there, wouldn't necessarily send out the right message.

Program: Talkback Date & Time: April 7, 2003 - 12.05 p.m. Subject Peace Process - Michael McGimpsey

DAVID DUNSEITH

Mr McGimpsey, we know that President Bush is going to speak with Prime Minister Blair in some detail about the situation in Iraq. He will also talk about Northern Ireland. I mean one has the impression that he's not coming to Northern Ireland on speck, that there is something going to happen, it's there, and it's a matter of signing on the dotted line. Is that true?

MICHAEL McGIMPSEY

I don't think so, and I don't think we should be reading that into it. I certainly think it's a very welcome visit, and it is welcome that the President will take some time to talk about Northern Ireland, but the prime focus of this meeting will of course be Iraq. 

There have been a series of meetings, one in the Azores, one at Camp David, and the third one was going to always be in Britain, and I think Belfast and Hillsborough, and I think that is the focus of their conversation will of course be about Iraq, about the fact that coalition forces have taken Basra and are into the heart of Baghdad and very much now focusing on post-war Iraq. There have been dramatic developments over the last few days, the war in Iraq, and I think that clearly will be the focus of their attention.

DAVID DUNSEITH

Yes, but what about the attempts that (unclear) change here? Let me put it that way, where you people have had an opportunity to get together over quite a number of years, 5 years, since the Agreement was signed, you've had difficulty doing it, one doesn't know what's going to happen in Iraq or how long that's going to take. Do you feel in your bones that you're close to it, that yourselves and the republicans will strike some sort of deal or arrangement?

 MICHAEL McGIMPSEY

I think clearly the onus is on republicans. We as a party, and as a movement, if I can put it that way, have done all that we can to make this Agreement work. We have had five years, you're quite right, if you can't do it in 5 years, you're not going to be able to do it, is my view, it remains my view. The onus is uniquely on republicans to move in terms of the weapons issue, the commitment to democracy and non-violence, not to use, or threaten to use force, and so on. I think the people of Northern Ireland clearly are bored with this whole argument now, they want it either to work or forget about it, and it's down to republicans to move.

DAVID DUNSEITH

Do you not find there is something ironic in all of this. In Iraq the United States, backed by the British, went in with all guns blazing, bent on regime change, no talks, no quarter given, that's not been the situation in Northern Ireland?

MICHAEL McGIMPSEY

Well I think that is a misreading of the Iraq situation, which of course has been going on for very many years.

DAVID DUNSEITH

Hasn't ours?

MICHAEL McGIMPSEY

Particularly through the UN, and this business of Saddam and weapons of destruction and disarmament and so on, it's an argument that he's spun out for about 12 or 13 years, which eventually has been to his cost, the severe cost. I also believe that republicans have spun out their disarmament commitments for a number of years, people have lost patience with them, and I think ultimately if republicans don't move, they are the ones who will also pay a penalty.

 DAVID DUNSEITH

There are no weapons of mass destruction found as yet through, are there?

MICHAEL McGIMPSEY

Well, I think clearly Iraq is a country the size of France, it will take some time to go through the country and search. But I mean, this is again speculation, we know there are weapons of mass destruction there, because we know materials were sold to Iraq Š

DAVID DUNSEITH

By the West?

MICHAEL McGIMPSEY

By primarily I think, the Soviet Union armed Saddam, but I'm not going to get into Š.

DAVID DUNSEITH

No, no, but we know that Mr Rumsfield was over there at one stage talking to Saddam as well. But as you say we don't want to get into it. But there are difficulties in this, and it's not identical to Northern Ireland, the Irish problem, I think one has to accept that, we're talking about a different scale. But is this question of liberation, and liberation means a lot of things to a lot people, people here would like to be liberated from the threat of violence, and I'm sure you would go along with that. But over in Iraq, "it's please allow me to kill you, so that I can liberate you".
 MICHAEL McGIMPSEY

I think in Iraq again, it is a, I would not again characterise it as that. I think we're looking at a new type of warfare, I think we're also looking at a new world order, and I think people should be focusing on that, but as far as Saddam was concerned, he'd killed very large numbers of his own people, one person described as Chemical Ali, boasted he managed to kill a hundred thousand, we never got into that sort of situation in Northern Ireland, or anything like it, the two positions are not parallel or similar. 

But I think that it's a question of priorities, and the lesser of the evils, and I think eventually in the end, as far as Saddam was concerned, the invasion was always the lesser of the evils, in much the same way as we have seen with other situations in the past, as far as Northern Ireland concerned we have a process, and that process has delivered a gradual scaling down of the violence over 5 to 10 years, and we see dramatic improvements in our quality of life, and our way of life for all of our people, but there still remains this threat, and our people are determined that they won't live under this threat, they want this threat removed, and that means those people who constitute the threat, those people with private armies, fully armed, have to deal with those private armies and those armed, a normal society doesn't have political parties with private armies, and we all want a normal society.

DAVID DUNSEITH

Have you any qualms of conscience whatsoever about what is happening in Iraq?

MICHAEL McGIMPSEY

I think that as far as war is concerned, it is the last option, it is something that, of course, everybody considers very deeply, and it is something that everybody looks to avoid. It is always a last resort in the final resort, when all other options have been proved to fail, in an absence of democracy, and again the degree of violence employed must bear a relationship to the wrongs committed, and I think clearly the way the coalition forces are going in, this is a war, not against Iraq, this is a war against Saddam and his regime. I think there's a very clear distinction, war is always a horrible business, war must always be avoided. I accept it is a very last resort, and I think that is the situation in Iraq, and I believe in 6 months or a year's time, when we're looking at a new Government in Iraq, looking after their own people, and building the country again, I think then people will see the wisdom of what has actually happened.

Program: BBC NEWSLINE Date: April 7, 2003 Subject WAR SUMMIT

NOEL THOMPSON

Now your party's firmly in the anti-war camp, but as a party which supported violence for decades, do you not feel something of a hypocrite?

GERRY KELLY

Well I don't think we've taken a position on the basis of being pacifists, quite obviously we are not, but we are against the war on Iraq. We have said that clearly. I think the American administration has, and a number of successive administrations have, been positive in terms of the peace process here, and as we are for a conflict resolution and for the type of diplomacy and talks which is being used we are for that in other areas and under the UN.

NOEL THOMPSON

What do you expect to hear from the President? We know that the unionists want a tough message for the IRA, for republicans to come up with the acts of completion on weapons for example.

GERRY KELLY

Well what we want is democracy to work. We want the institutions set up. 

NOEL THOMPSON

Sorry what do you expect the President will say?

GERRY KELLY

Well I don't know what the President is going to say. You're asking me what I expect him or what I would wish of him, and I think that the American administrations have been, even though it may seem as a contradiction now, have been in support of the peace process then we would wish that to continue. I think there is a contradiction that it is an insensitive time to be here. However we have made that clear and we will make it clear to both Tony Blair and President Bush ourselves.

NOEL THOMPSON

Now do you think that whatever the President says, he can persuade the IRA towards acts of completion?
 GERRY KELLY

Well I think what will persuade anyone here to move forward is the type of negotiations that have been going on. We have made progress in them. There are still issues being discussed and meetings have continued up until today, and I hope along with President Bush I assume and others, we can move the whole process forward, get the institutions set up again and show to the world that peace works and show that our small enclave here, our small area, can be an example of how peace processes do work. 

NOEL THOMPSON

Do you accept David Trimble's analysis that this week is a moment of trust for everyone in this peace process?

GERRY KELLY

Well I think we have faced a series of moments of truth. What we need to see now is that people who are elected, like myself and David Trimble and others, can move this whole process forward and that's what we're hoping for this week and indeed further on from here.

NOEL THOMPSON

So do you accept, both the spokesmen for the President and for the Prime Minister said that they would look to Northern Ireland as a model for Palestine and a post Saddam Iraq. Do you think that's realistic?

GERRY KELLY

Well I think there were a series of intractable problems which were described in the world which included South Africa, the Middle East and Ireland. I think we have gone a long way in trying to sort out the problem here. We have a way to go unfortunately. But as an example of how a process, a political process, can work I think that's our job, let's make that work. The other big intractable problem was, at least is described as intractable is the Middle East, and I hope some examples can be taken from here.

Program: BBC Newsline Date: April 7, 2003 Subject Bush Summit - Sir Reg Empey

NOEL THOMPSON

Are you cynical about this visit?

SIR REG EMPEY

Well I think that people must understand, this is a summit about Iraq, it is not a summit about Northern Ireland. There will be a very small part of the President's time will be spent on this issue. 

But interestingly enough, because a mistake that the President's spokesman Ari Fliesher made when asked about the summit, and he said it would be in Dublin, hundreds of millions of people throughout the world will get a geography lesson that Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom, and they will see the President received by Tony Blair, but as far as the contribution it will make to our own matters, I think it will be very limited.

NOEL THOMPSON

David Trimble has said he wants a tough message from the President to put pressure on the IRA to come up with the goods on weapons, but it's more than likely that the President will be even handed as America has tried to be seen to be over the period of the process?

SIR REG EMPEY

Well I mean, I think that the one thing people will be looking for here is some consistency, and they will be looking to see the Prime Minister and the President make it very clear to republicans that they cannot tolerate terrorism. If they're fighting it so vigourously in Iraq, then they have to apply the same thing here, and I'm quite satisfied that that is what most unionists will be seeking, to see that that pressure is applied to those who have private armies. 

And I think many people find it hard to contemplate that Sinn Féin are outside the door protesting against a war, when they spent 25 years justifying that war as it applied here. So I think the message should be tough, it should be straightforward and it has to be no more private armies, totally exclusively peaceful means, and that is how we will proceed.

NOEL THOMPSON

But if you think that the effect of the input whatever it is will be minimal is this really just window dressing, is this just for the world-wide media to see the President supporting Tony Blair who has supported him?

SIR REG EMPEY

Well, I think there are many practical reasons why this part of the United Kingdom has been chosen. A, it's the closest to the United States, secondly it's used to security, there's no evidence of any Al Qaeda here, good security infrastructure, the American system has been here 2 or 3 times before, and quite clearly Mr Blair couldn't go to the United States again. 
 So I think there are practical reasons for it, but obviously despite the flaws in our process, we must remember that the core of a lot of the trouble in the Arab world is still the Middle East and the Israeli Palestinian situation, and while our process has been very flawed we seen through the trauma that the Israelis and the Palestinians are suffering at the moment. What happens to you if you don't have a process, and I think that is a lesson that has to be got across to them. I would like to see the Prime Minister and the President focus on the Middle East, because that is the source of so much of the terrorism that is currently being exported from that region.

NOEL THOMPSON

Well they've made it clear that it will be high on the agenda at their talks tonight, and tomorrow, but just to return to Northern Ireland. I mean there would have been days when we would have been very wide-eyed and excited about the visit of a President. Do you think that that capital has now been well and truly spent?

SIR REG EMPEY

Oh I think, I think people are, I mean it's astonishing as you said earlier in your programme that yet another President is coming here, and I think we were all astounded when the news broke on Friday. We had no prior knowledge of it whatsoever, but I am glad to welcome United States President here, after all so many of his predecessors came from this soil, and we have tremendous links with the United States. 

The President of the United States is welcome here, and I think as I said at the beginning, it demonstrates quite clearly our role within a United Kingdom and our own Prime Minister is receiving him, and I think that message will spread out, and we also must remember, and I hope the President refers to the trauma that many of our families are suffering at the moment while their beloved ones are in the Gulf.

Program: UTV Live Date & Time April 7, 2003 - 6.10 p.m. Subject Bush Summit - Ken Reid

MIKE NESBITT

We've got a war summit, we've got a sort of peace rally, what's the balance going to be?

KEN REID

I think that really the war summit is the main thing, and I think they're talking about Iraq after the war and so forth, and we know that the implications, about the UN involvement and so forth, and that would really be the bulk of the discussions butted about, and there will be some talk about the Middle East, but at about noon tomorrow, at 11 o'clock the President and the Prime Minister are expected to hold a joint news conference at Hillsborough Castle which will be beamed across the world. After that the Taoiseach will arrive, and there will be discussions between the three Governments, after that at about a quarter to 2 it's expected the pro-Agreement parties, two from each party will go in, and there will be a roundtable session involving them and the Prime Minister, the Taoiseach and incredibly the President of the United States.

MIKE NESBITT

Well, when Airforce One flies in, and this is RAF Aldergrove by the way, not the International Civil Airport, but however Airforce One has come in before, largely republicans/nationalists delighted to see the President, unionists a little bit more iffy. It's turned on its head this time?

KEN REID

If you remember the first Bill Clinton visit, at that time really nationalists were very keen here, you almost felt David Trimble did go and so forth, and there was unionist involvement, but people did think that really this was to bring the nationalist community, republican community on board. It really has changed, and it's significant that David Trimble yesterday, and today welcoming President Bush, supporting the war effort. 

Where really the SDLP and Sinn Féin do have this quandary that their parties are against the war, the President is coming to Northern Ireland for a war summit, yet they're being brought into Hillsborough to talk peace.

MIKE NESBITT

Are you telling me that Gerry Adams, for example, will be at the front line of the protestors shouting, "no to war", and then he's going to pop in a side door, and say, good morning Mr President?
 KEN REID

Well Gerry Adams made it clear yesterday that he probably would join the protest at some stage, and then would go in. It's interesting what the White House are saying in all of this. The White House are saying that Northern Ireland is an example of a peace process, it's working, and I think that we should remember one thing about this week, there's a lot of show business tomorrow, there's the President of the United States. But what is planned to happen in the rest of the week is really actually bigger than the Good Friday Agreement.

Program: UTV Live Date: April 7, 2003 Subject Hillsborough Summit - David Morgan

DAVID MORGAN

Pro-Agreement, yes, pro-war in Iraq, no. The SDLP today made clear its decision to take part in the summit is in no way an endorsement of events in Iraq.

MARK DURKAN

Will SDLP people be taking part in a protest, yes. I have encouraged our party members to take part in peaceful and dignified and responsible protests against this war. And I'm asking people to do so again, and I've stated that I think people should be facilitated right across the North in being able to register a protest to mark the fact that a summit, looking at the future of the war is taking place here in Ireland.

DAVID MORGAN

Yesterday David Trimble appeared on UTV Sunday Issue programme, spelling out what is needed, visible decommissioning.

FEARGHAL MCKINNEY

Do you need cameras filming this?

DAVID TRIMBLE

I said it's got to be visible, it's got to be transparent. It has got to. If I could borrow the words of the IRA when they promised way back in 2001 to do this, it has to be done in such a way as to maximise public confidence. 

DAVID MORGAN

Republicans too are talking about acts of completion.

 MITCHEL McLAUGHLIN

Perhaps this Thursday we will get an indication of what the British Government means in a good faith way by acts of completion on their part, because I think if that is the case it will be a positive development, and it will, I think have a positive impact within the republican constituency. But we've had words before, we've had them in written form, we've had them delivered verbally, we haven't had them delivered into our hands, no-one yet has seen them.

DAVID MORGAN

The events of the coming few days will give politicians here food for thought, and some say the importance of events at Hillsborough should not be underestimated.

MONICA McWILLIAMS

This is a crucial week for Northern Ireland. Once again we have it in our grasp to make peace work, and I hope by the next few weeks as we go into this election our collective effort will prove to be our success.

DAVID ERVINE

I think that the Americans and the British will be keen to show that they work with people, and not over people's heads and try and bring people together. Northern Ireland, they would feel, would epitomise that, so I think it's all based on success or failure on the Northern Ireland process.

DAVID MORGAN

One party which won't be figuring at Hillsborough is the DUP. They've apparently been told that President Bush is only interested in meeting the pro-Agreement parties.

This week has been billed as being critical to the political process here. But for some politicians the Blair/Bush summit could not have come at a worst time. They've had to compromise their anti-war stance in the hopes of building a more stable political future.

Program: TALKBACK Date & Time: April 7, 2003 12:24 p.m. Subject IRAQ CONFLICT

DAVID DUNSEITH

We heard a moment ago a priest talking about the confusion within the community as he understood it, and on the back of that, may I ask you are you going to at all boycott the meeting with Mr Bush given your anti war sentiments and stance?

MARK DURKAN

Well I didn't hear what he said but a lot of what I did hear I would have a lot of sympathy with. Remember I made it very clear to all 3 governments on Friday night that I was perturbed at the co-location of discussions about the further persecution of the war with discussions on our own peace process. 

I didn't just convey those concerns privately. I also put them on the record publicly and was the first leader here to do so because I don't think we should be at all hypocritical about any of this. I am profoundly opposed to the war in Iraq, was profoundly opposed to the whole build-up to the war in Iraq and argued against Tony Blair personally on that basis at a number of meetings, including in Downing Street, and at socialist leaders meetings I've argued against the line of himself and his government on this, so I have no problem making my views known on that issue. 
 DAVID DUNSEITH

And will you do that to President Bush?

MARK DURKAN

Yes, President Bush is already aware of my own and the SDLP's opposition to the war. I don't think he cares very much about our position in relation to the war but he knows of it and his administration clearly know of it, and they will be no less aware of it tomorrow by virtue of our participation in whatever discussions take place on our process. 

DAVID DUNSEITH

I want to ask you about the local situation. I want to put one other point to you about the general as opposed to the specific. Talking to Michael McGimpsey a moment or two ago about this and the tyranny of the Saddam Hussein regime, and how long has it been going on, and what do you do, do you just ignore this, do you say it's not a matter for us? As he said war is the lesser of two evils. If this man can be brought to heel then the people of Iraq would be much better off in the future. Is there some validity in that?

MARK DURKAN

Well first of all is there validity in making the point about the tyranny of Saddam Hussein's regime, yes there is, and let us also look at who helped to put Saddam Hussein and the ugliness of that regime where it was. I believe that when you look at what this war is meant to prevent that there were safer and sounder and surer ways of preventing it and clearly we didn't have to involve the degree of death and destruction that this war has involved. 

There were other decisive ways of moving and ways that were in train. I also believe that this war was contrived and engineered and I'm not one of those who say that it is about oil, because I think when you look back you see a number of people that are in the Bush administration who were all advocating in the early and mid nineties that America was part of an American foreign initiative, that America almost needed to create and stage wars in theatres where it could win them as part of a serving American global leadership, so I don't buy the claim to motives for this war. 

Now the war is taking place I am as concerned as everybody else that the post-war situation should move forward as rapidly and constructively as possible. I'm very clear the UN have to be in charge and I'm very clear that any EU aid, and I stated this at a meeting in Brussels, any EU aid has to be channelled through entirely civilian channels with no military control. 

DAVID DUNSEITH

Okay, let me ask you about the prospects then locally. I have the feeling and I'm sure a lot of other people have the feeling that although most of the discussions between President Bush and the Prime Minister will be taken up with Iraq and what's going to follow and all of that, but they'll also be talking about Northern Ireland as you have just indicated, and I could not imagine even with the Iraq situation that the President of the United States would not come here on a wild goose chase, in other words the feeling is that there is something there and it's just a matter of rubber stamping it. Is that true?

MARK DURKAN

Well I wouldn't want to put it as trite as that. The fact is this week sees the fifth anniversary of the Agreement and we really do have to move forward decisively. I mean if we can't actually show full mutual respect at the political level, we really have to start getting to the point where we have self respect as a region, where we don't have the embarrassment of people flying in and out of here and telling us what is common sense and telling us what we already agreed and what the people here already mandated. 

We need parties to finally catch themselves on, move from just indulging in hollow postures and shallow gestures and for others to start emulating the sort of solidity and depth of commitment to the will of the people that the SDLP has always demonstrated. We need to make sure that there is no more ambiguity about the stability of the institutions and we have to make sure that there is no more ambivalence about the commitment to exclusively peaceful and non violent Š..

DAVID DUNSEITH

So that means no more guns in other words?
 MARK DURKAN

It means no more. It means we can't be hostage anymore to either the IRA Army Council on the one hand or the Ulster Unionist Council on the other hand. I mean there isn't just one source of uncertainty and instability in this equation, and what we have to do is move beyond all the uncertainty, all the ambiguities and that's why this week has to bring forward clarity. I want people to have united understandings. 

I don't want parties all going off and doing their own spin on things because all that will do is add to the cynicism. I mean there is enough cynicism already about tomorrow and I argue with none of the cynicism about tomorrow without there also being further cynicism about what develops on Thursday and beyond, and all parties have a duty to the public here to make sure that we make sense of making the Agreement work and that we give everybody the assurance that we are all on for all of the Agreement, and this business of people holding back on one commitment and opting out of various arrangements, whether it's unionists opting out of political arrangements, whether it's Sinn Féin opting out of policing, we can't afford that any more.

Program: UTV Live Date: April 7, 2003 Subject Presidential visit to Hillsborough - Ken Reid 

LINDA BRYANS

The Secretary of State has outlined the main aims of the Presidential visit, saying that Mr Bush is visiting the province at a crucial stage in the peace process.

SECRETARY OF STATE

Well it's two fold of course, the first one is to discuss with the Prime Minister, in the same way that the 2 of them discussed at the Azores and in Camp David, take stock of where we are with regard to conflict in Iraq, that of course is very much high on the agenda there. But in addition to that, here as well the deal with Northern Ireland is this at a very important time in our history. 

It comes in a most important week for Northern Ireland, for the peace process, since the Good Friday Agreement, and so it's hugely important that the two Prime Ministers and the President meet to discuss this issue, talk with the pro-Agreement parties, and hopefully encourage everybody to make the resolution to achieve what we want to achieve by the end of this week.

LINDA BRYANS

Our political correspondent Ken Reid joins us now live in the studio. We've seen the security arrangements, what other arrangements are in place for the Presidential visit?

KEN REID

Well I think the important thing about this visit, it is a war summit. The discussions will be about Iraq tonight and tomorrow morning, a bit of the Middle East, and then tomorrow morning, the President and the Prime Minister will hold a joint news conference which will be beamed out across the world. 

Then interestingly the Taoiseach will arrive just after lunch, and there will be a round table session involving the Northern Ireland pro-Agreement parties, two from each party, with the Prime Minister, the Taoiseach and the President of the United States, and I suppose in terms of the Northern ireland peace process, that's the key meeting. 

Interestingly enough, Downing Street are saying this morning that there's still work to be done, because the Secretary of State said in the clip that we just heard, this is as important as the Good Friday Agreement. Many people think that if things work this week, it's actually bigger.

LINDA BRYANS

So it's a significant week politically Š..?

KEN REID

Absolutely, I mean the visit of President Bush has flabbergasted everybody. But on Thursday the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach will be back at Hillsborough where there will be a joint declaration. Now the expectation after that, if things goes well, will be that there would be a statement from the IRA, perhaps on Thursday, early Friday morning, effectively calling for an end, saying that physical force republicanism is over, that the war is over, and then there would be an expectation perhaps of an act of decommissioning, and then a meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council to follow, and the elections on May 29. We would be, if things work, coming to the end of this conflict.
 LINDA BRYANS

Very briefly, getting back to the President, is he expected to stay at Hillsborough for those two days, or will he be out and about?

KEN REID

No I think, the plans are that this stage that he will be at Hillsborough, and these discussions will go on. I think that there was going to be a summit anyway, and it just so happened that fitting in the Northern Ireland business was helpful to the overall agenda, and I do think it is a favour from President Bush to Tony Blair to thank him for the help that he's received in the Iraqi conflict. I think what people will watch with interest is the size of the protest against the war, particularly around Hillsborough, and also the fact that a number of the politicians going in are also anti-war. 

Program: BBC Newsline - Mark Devenport Date & Time: April 7, 2003 - 13.43 Subject Hillsborough Summit

MARK CARRUTHERS

Mark, perhaps a bit of cynicism there that the 2 leaders are using Northern Ireland as a venue for this meeting?

MARK DEVENPORT

Well I think certainly in those reports you heard that view both from the anti-war protestors and from nationalist leaders like Mark Durkan and also Gerry Adams, who has been quoted as saying that he's worried about being used as some kind of a stage prop. 

I actually got over the weekend to put that point to a senior US Official, who told me that he thought the argument was absurd, he said that Washington had nothing to feel embarrassed about, nothing to hide about the war in Iraq, it was just that they felt when given the timing there was also something that they could do here on Northern Ireland, on what they see as a critical point in the local peace process.

MARK CARRUTHERS

To some extent is it fair to say that this is a payback for Blair from Bush, to try to help our process?

MARK DEVENPORT

Very much so, I think it works on a number of levels, it most certainly was a British idea, they could have chosen wherever in the UK they'd wanted to put it, it was the British that came up with Northern Ireland. It works on the level of being payback, it might also give them a bit more of a positive sheen than if they were merely discussing a war, and also Tony Blair sees this as a bit of a template, I think for what might happen in the Middle East.

 MARK CARRUTHERS

Someone said in the past, Presidents come to put the icing on cakes, they don't mix the ingredients. Is there a deal in the bag?

MARK DEVENPORT

Well you've got to sense that given the sort of high drama, that really both Washington and London must feel pretty confident. Now Downing Street was saying this morning, no it doesn't mean that we've got the deal sorted out, we can't take the party's reactions for granted. But over the weekend both the Senior US Official I was talking to, and indeed the Secretary of State, Paul Murphy this morning, said they were fairly optimistic about the quality of what has been negotiated.

MARK CARRUTHERS

And in a word or two, no meeting for Dr Paisley?

MARK DEVENPORT

Absolutely not, he's been missed out, the Americans say they really are more interested in talking with people who might actually reach a deal. I think the DUP have been offered a meeting with Ambassador Haass, the President's point man on Northern Ireland, whether they take it or decide that they've been snubbed by the President, and so they'll turn down Ambassador Haass, has yet to be determined.

Program: Talkback Date & Time: April 7, 2003 - 13.15pm Subject Bush/Blair Summit - M Devenport and two foreign journalists

DAVID DUNSEITH

Mark Devenport has been talking to Spelling Delgar, TV2, Denmark, also Sabine Rathenberg from the German TV Channel ARD.

MARK DEVENPORT

Sabine, obviously an enormous international interest in this summit, a bit of a surprise perhaps for you and all the other members of the international press core to be here?

SABINE RATHENBERG

A big surprise on Friday when we also discovered that we'd have to be here on Monday, and then giving the details all turned, yes nobody expected it to be Northern Ireland, whilst we're all focusing on Iraq at this moment.
 MARK DEVENPORT

Does it make any sense to you the President and the Prime Minister are meeting in Belfast whilst the battle of Baghdad is raging?

SABINE RATHENBERG

Well a little bit somewhat. Looking at it from our perspective it seems a bit like Bush is moving towards Blair, maybe not on substance, but at least physically. Blair has had three summits with Bush in three weeks, and somehow it seemed important for the Americans to, at least on a gesture level, show that Blair is important, that they somehow come to him.

 MARK DEVENPORT

Do you think the Prime Minister is trying to make a point that he sees Northern Ireland as a template, if you like, for peace processes elsewhere, maybe in the wider Middle East?

SABINE RATHENBERG

Yes, he probably does, and he's probably also hoping that Bush will exert some kind of pressure to get this peace process up and running again. So that is a chance for us to transport Northern Ireland politics on a national level on German television, because we haven't done for some time.

MARK DEVENPORT

How will it feature in your reports, will your reports be all about Iraq, or will you be able to get that Northern Ireland angle into your audience?

SABINE RATHENBERG

We will be able to get the Northern Ireland angle, because everybody will be asking why Belfast, and that's the moment when you have a chance to explain where you're at with the peace process right now, and what's happening with the elections probably, and why Bush could exert some form of pressure on possibly the IRA.

MARK DEVENPORT

And just finally, there's been some cynicism here amongst anti-war campaigners, as to talk about the peace process being used as a convenient backdrop for the war, and I imagine a fair bit of cynicism in Germany which was always against this war?

SABINE RATHENBERG

I don't know about cynicism, but certainly people will say, it's curious that you're talking about peace process while a war is still going on, it's always the thing in the past few days that people have been saying, why are they already talking about the after, when we're still stuck in the during? I mean, Basra is not taken completely yet, Baghdad hasn't fallen yet. I mean yes, it's making a lot of headway, but this isn't over yet. So people are wondering why are they talking peace when we're still at war.

MARK DEVENPORT

How surprised are you to be here in Belfast, this was a bit of a surprise, wasn't it?

SPELLING DELGAR

Well of course it's a surprise summit, but I think it was pretty clever of Tony Blair to try to drag George Bush over here, and try to clear up the mess that it is in here in Northern Ireland at the same time, and perhaps some symbolism, they don't want it to take place in Washington, they don't want it to take place in London, so Belfast is as good as any other venue.

MARK DEVENPORT

So you think the Prime Minister is trying to make a point about Northern Ireland, perhaps serving as an example to others, say in the wider Middle East?

SPELLING DELGAR

No, I don't think. I think Tony Blair has a problem in Northern Ireland at the moment, and George Bush owes him one, and I think it's quite simply like that.

MARK DEVENPORT

And do you think George Bush will have a decisive influence here?

FOREIGN JOURNALIST

I think he has to deliver something. This Presidency has not been as helpful as the Clinton Presidency, and George Bush owes Tony Blair a lot, because he dragged other allies with him, such as Denmark and Poland and other Eastern European countries with him, into the alliance, into the coalition with the US, and we might not have been there if it were not for Tony Blair.

MARK DEVENPORT

What would people in Denmark think about them talking about a peace process here in Northern Ireland, at the same time as the battle for Baghdad is raging?

SPELLING DELGAR

Well I think everybody would think it would be wonderful if you got a lasting peace here in Northern Ireland anytime, and as you know we, just like here, people in Denmark are divided on the question of Iraq, so it would just be delightful for everybody. But I think at the same time, you have to say that people will not be talking much about Northern Ireland, because all the focus is on Iraq at the moment.
 ****

Program: Date: April 7, 2003 Subject Briefing by Tom Kelly

TOM KELLY

Š an hour, three quarters of an hour, in some ways I think that sets the tone for this meeting. It's, if I could put it this way, it's much more like a Camp David style meeting, rather than a meeting in the White House or in Downing Street, and the aim is to have as informal and freewheeling a discussion as possible tonight, which will range across at a working dinner, across all the geo-political issues. 

So it will discuss, obviously it will discuss Iraq, but it will move on to discuss other issues, such as the Middle East and in particular the lessons of Northern Ireland for how you approach the attempts to revive the Middle East peace process, relations with Europe, but also with other geo-political issues. The dinner will consist of the President and the Prime Minister plus two officials on either side. 

Tomorrow morning, as again at Camp David, they will get a joint briefing on the situation on the ground, and we are aware obviously that that situation is developing quite fast, but again I think, on both sides there's a caution about over-stating the progress that we're making. We are making good progress, but equally neither side underestimates the difficulties that we still face, and the very real dangers that our forces face. 

They will then move into a, again as at Camp David, a joint session with the Prime Minister, the President, Jack Straw the Foreign Secretary and Colin Powell, and that will focus on immediate post-conflict issues, and how we move as quickly as possible as both sides want to, to a position in which the Iraqi people are governing themselves. 

They will then hold a press conference at 11.30, and my apologies to those of you who aren't able to get into that, but as anyone who is familiar with Hillsborough will know, the room in which we're holding it is relatively small, and that's why we've had to be so selective in terms of selecting those who can come.

After the Press Conference they will be joined by the Taoiseach, the Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, and they will have lunch with him before moving into what I might describe as an informal roundtable, informal because they'll be standing, they will have a session sitted down, but then they will stand and go round each group and talk to each group of the local pro-Agreement parties. 

And that is to underline the commitment of both Governments to implementing the Good Friday Agreement in full, and in particular to taking the big steps as outlined in the Prime Minister's speech in October here in Belfast, where he called for an end to the process of inch by inch negotiation, and for people to take the final steps towards acts of completion as he called it, of the Good Friday Agreement, which will be signed, and will have been signed five years ago on Thursday, and the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach will be coming back here this week to publish their proposals on how they think acts of completion can be completed all round by all sides in the process. 

So that's really how the next 24 hours or so, slightly less, will pan out. The key as I said at the start is informality, the key is to try and have as a reflective a discussion as possible, even though both men are very conscious that they are talking against the backdrop of not just a very quick changing position on the ground in Iraq, but one also which holds still many dangers for our forces in the field. 

I'll take questions, I'd be grateful if you could identify yourself and your organization and I'll leave Lynn to choose who asks the questions. But I'd be grateful if there could be a fair mix of visiting press, national press and also Northern Ireland press as well.

ANDREW MARR, BBC

What is the Prime Minister going to be telling the President about what he thinks the role of the United Nations should be in choosing the interim Iraqi Government?

TOM KELLY

Well, in terms of the broad principle that was established at the Azores, where if you remember in the statement we published that day, we talked about the desirability of having United Nations resolutions, not resolution on oil for food and on reconstruction, and that remains the position, and that was the position at Camp David. 
 So on that there is no disagreement. Equally there is no disagreement in terms of the phasing of how we move along that process, in the immediate aftermath of conflict, by international law to meet our international obligations, the coalition partners will have to run the country in the immediate aftermath of conflict, and at that point, or how it will come into play. 

But J (unclear) himself has said that he sees its remit, while it's very difficult to be precise, but he's given an indicative timescale of around 90 days. There will then be the transition to, as you say, the Iraqi interim authority, and in that should be, and again we are totally agreed on this, should be as representative of the complex multi-ethnic nature of Iraq as possible, and the UN should be involved in that in a way that endorses that new Iraqi authority. 

And then there's the third transition, which is to a public constituted Iraqi Government. Now the precise nature of that UN role is not just a matter for us to discuss between ourselves and the Americans, but also to discuss with the UN itself, but in terms of what it can be, the UN right at the very top has made it clear that it doesn't have the capacity, never mind the desire to run Iraq, and the aim of all three voices on this, ourselves, the Americans and the UN, is precisely the same as summed up in the Prime Minister's message last week to the Iraqi people, which is an Iraq, not run by us, not run by the Americans, or by the UN, but by the Iraqis as soon as possible.

NICK ROBINSON, ITV NEWS

I just note your choice of the phrase endorsing, the UN involvement would endorse the Iraqi interim authority. Many people believe that legally, I think the Secretary of State for International Development has stated this, that they mustn't merely endorse, they must choose that interim authority because the occupying power, to use her words, may not reorganize the administration of any country without UN involvement, and just after you answer that, maybe you could tell us, do you think tomorrow the Prime Minister and the President may go a bit further than general principles? 

Do you think they maybe able to tell us a little more what their thoughts of the post-conflict Iraqi is, because of course we maybe rather closer to post-conflict Iraq than we thought so a couple of days ago?

TOM KELLY

Well I would simply caution again on the latter point. Yes we are making progress on the ground, but we are being very cautious about stating how near to the end of conflict we may or may not be, because I think it is dangerous to get ahead of ourselves and it is dangerous to take victory for granted in any way. Therefore we will take it day by day, we will not make predictions about when the end might be, because I think the timescale, as the President said at Camp David, it will take as long as it takes. 

I think at that point people interpreted him as meaning a lot longer than it appears to be at the minute, but equally at this point, from this angle when things seem to be going better than perhaps what's anticipated at that point, I think it also will take as long as it takes, and I think we just need to be careful about that. In terms of the legal position, I'm not a lawyer, but you can be assured that anything that we do will be within international law, and in terms of what they may or may not have to say tomorrow, I'm slightly old fashioned about this, I'd prefer to have the discussion and then see what the outcome of that is, rather than trying to predict in advance.

EDWIN CHAN, LOS ANGELES TIMES

This is Edwin Chan of the Los Angeles Times. Does the Prime Minister have a view on the US bringing Mr. (unclear) to the theatre at this particular point, is it a helpful move?

TOM KELLY

Well I'm not going to comment on the particular individuals or the movement of particular individuals, and I think what's much more important is that we agree not just the principles of how we move forward, but also the detail of that, and that's precisely the point of the discussions we are having, not just with the Americans but also with the UN, and I think we shouldn't get hung up on particular individuals, but should keep our eyes on the big picture.

GERRY MORIARTY, IRISH TIMES

Tom could you give us your best read on the prospects of a deal being done this week in terms of the peace process and of the IRA responding as the two Governments want in terms of delivering the acts of completion?

TOM KELLY

Well the agenda was set out for where we need to go in the Prime Minister's speech on October 17th last year, and that agenda, yes did have a challenge for the IRA and for other paramilitaries. However it also had a challenge to all the other parties to the Agreement, the other parties at Stormont, the two Governments as well, across a whole broad range of issues, and in the Prime Minister's words, what we needed was acts of completion right across the board. 

Now we're at the stage where the Governments are nearly ready to put our proposals to the parties. But I think it is a mistake, either to talk about a done deal, because that's not where we are, and equally it's a mistake to prejudge people's responses. So I'm not going to get into the optimism pessimism game. I think where we have progressed in this process is whenever we have been ultra realistic. 

At times, and I say this as an officiado of the process, it's been like watching paint dry, and at other times it's been like standing back from the wall and seeing how much we've actually painted. I think this is a time to step back from the wall, to look and see whether the mural on the walls spells the one word that we all want to see, which is peace, and to see whether therefore what we have done is to finish off the work that we first started five years ago this week, with the Good Friday Agreement. 

I think it will be an important week, but what the outcome of the week is, I don't think it is either wise or particularly profitable to predict at this stage. But a lot of good work has been done, a lot of good discussions have been had, and I think it's now, and this is, if you like, why it is highly significant that the President has come here today with the Prime Minister and why he will meet the pro-Agreement parties tomorrow. I think it is time to encourage the parties to take the big steps that are necessary. But how they respond will be up to them.

April 8, 2003

AHERN MEETS BUSH AND BLAIR

The Irish premier Bertie Ahern is meeting US President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Hillsborough Castle, Co Down, for discussions on the peace process.

Ahern arrived for the meeting at around midday and will have a working lunch with the two leaders beginning at 1 p.m. local time. Afterwards, the three leaders will host round-table talks with representatives from the North's pro- Agreement parties.

 The Taoiseach's discussions with Bush and Blair will also cover the situation in Iraq and the Middle East. Ahern said he would tell Bush the UN should have a primary role in the reconstruction of Iraq.

"We want to see a new administration that will have greater legitimacy if it is under the ambit of the international community," he told reporters in Dublin yesterday. "We also want to achieve the position that the UN will be at the heart of that."

Ahern also said yesterday he would convey the views of the Irish people on the war.

Bush leaves Northern Ireland at approximately 2.30 p.m. local time. Ahern will host a press conference at approximately 3 p.m. Blair and Ahern will unveil their blueprint to rescue the peace process on Thursday.

Earlier today, the Sinn FÈin leader Gerry Adams has stated that, despite speculation, "no deal has been done" on the Northern Ireland peace process.

Speaking ahead of this afternoon's meeting with President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair, Adams said that he remained "absolutely committed" to bringing about a deal. "This deal", he said, "would be full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement."

Adams said in order for a deal to be done, he needed assurances that unionists, and the UUP in particular, would respect the institutions set up under the Agreement. He also dismissed speculation of an IRA arms move.

Adams, who was accompanied by Sinn FÈin Chief Negotiator
Martin McGuinness and Conor Murphy MLA, also said that it was "insensitive to have a war summit in this country" and his party would be raising objections with Mr. Bush.

Adams said that the view of the majority and of Sinn FÈin was that the war in Iraq was wrong. He also insisted that the way to resolve conflicts is through diplomacy, in this case dialogue through the UN.

NORTHERN IRELAND INFORMATION SERVICE

MORNING DIGEST

APRIL 8, 2003

The US President's visit to Hillsborough headlines most of the papers as rumors grow of a statement from the IRA. The president's visit was marked by heavy security which prevent anti-war protesters getting anywhere near Hillsborough. The resumption of the Columbia Three trial and a report into the safety of plastic bullets are also featured.

Presidential visit

As US President George Bush prepares for his second day at Hillsborough, rumors that the IRA are preparing to declare that the conflict is at an end grow stronger. News Letter P1, 4, Irish News P6, Daily Mail P13, Daily Telegraph P10... Unionists, meanwhile, stated that mere words were not enough News Letter P4. The DUP is boycotting talks with Richard Haass in protest against Bush's decision only to meet with pro-agreement parties. News Letter P4

Political parties are expected to be urged to 'take big steps' towards reaching agreement by political leaders Bush, Blair and Ahern today. Irish News P6, Irish Independent P11.

The SDLP's Mark Durkan has raised concerns over the timing of the Iraq war summit at Hillsborough. News Letter P9. Sinn Fein called the decision to hold the summit here 'insensitive'. The Times P2. The party also defended their anti-war stance and insisted there was no comparison between the war in Iraq and in Northern Ireland. Irish News P6.

Traffic chaos hit Belfast and surrounding areas as police and army dealt with a series of security alerts ahead of George Bush's visit. News Letter P1, Irish News P6, Irish Times P9..

Riot police prevented thousands of anti-war protesters from getting close to Hillsborough Castle but still managed to protest in the County Down village. News Letter P3, Irish News P7, Irish Times P8, Irish Independent P11.

Bush posed for photographs with spectators after his arrival in Northern Ireland and also met wounded Irish guardsman John Allen. The Sun P3. The President arrived accompanied by his top officials including US Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condolezza Rice. Irish News P5, Daily Mirror P 1, 2, 3, Daily Express P7, Irish Times P9, Irish Independent P13..

Editorials - 'Words alone are no longer good enough' - News Letter P8; 'War 'mistakes' cause concern, Irish News P8, 'Meaning in a historical footnote' - Irish Times P18.

Opinion pieces - 'Guess who'll come running the next time George W whistles?' - Pat McArt - News Letter P8,9; 'Five years on and still no real Agreement' - Mervyn Pauley - News Letter P11; 'Moment of truth for Sinn Fein' - David Trimble - News Letter P11; 'Repair relations by inviting war hero' - Ian Starrett - News Letter (Business) P5..'Hope that council of war can turn into council for peace' - Frank Hewitt - News Letter (Business) P8, 'Belfast trip courts Irish American vote - Ray O'Hanlon - Irish News P8; 'Northern politicians are in need of a reality check' - Tom Kelly - Irish News P20, 'Process looks ripe for another major step forward' - David McKittrick - Irish Independent P11, 'Doing war and peace despite the contradictions' Irish Independent P12. ..

Program: GMU Date & Time: April 8, 2003 8.11 a.m. Subject HILLSBOROUGH SUMMIT

SEAMUS McKEE

Andrew Marr will be in the press core at the press conference given by the President and the Prime Minister. It's expected later this morning and Andrew Marr joins us now. Good Morning, Andrew.

ANDREW MARR

Good Morning to you.

SEAMUS McKEE

It's a difficult day in many respects not least because the backdrop to it will be the bodies of British servicemen killed in combat arriving back for burial. 

ANDREW MARR

Well that's absolutely right. This has become part of a very grim ritual associated with this war. The arrival of the coffins back and the honor guard and the military honor. Tony Blair has already met some of the bereaved families and I fear that's going to be a duty he will perform again. 
 SEAMUS McKEE

And the talking going on at Hillsborough in the meantime. First of all what is it that separates them because there are much greater differences between them than perhaps those briefing us on the whole involvement and possible role for the UN after the war would lead us to believe. What does Mr. Blair need from Mr. Bush today?

ANDREW MARR

Well you're absolutely right about the difference. I mean they agree on quite a lot. Britain accepts absolutely that there's going to be some kind of American military administration in Iraq after the war. Perhaps something like 90 days or so is the period being talked about and then to use the phrase the both of them use, George Bush and Tony Blair, Iraq should be handed back to the Iraqis. But you know the question is who will hand it back and which Iraqis? There are a lot of people in the British Government including in the Cabinet who believe that the United Nations has to be involved in that process, it is the occupying powers. 

Britain and America have no legal right to form the new government in Iraq, it has to be done through the UN. On the other hand in Washington there is a very strong view that this is their war. They have done without the UN. The UN has failed over the past few weeks and they have no intention of letting the French and the Russians and others come in now and decide the fate of Iraq. That is a real difference between people on the British side and the Americans. (Unclear) fudged over. There will be talk about the UN endorsing a future Iraqi Government I suspect. Tony Blair will be pushing on that. I don't think frankly he'll get very far. 

SEAMUS McKEE

Do you think at the end of the day we'll be left with anything other than the impression that still the Americans are less keen on a road map for the Middle East appearing quickly than Britain is?

ANDREW MARR

Well I think Tony Blair will get some warmer words on that. I think he really needs that and he'll get some form of words which I'm sure has been cooked up between the civil servants and the diplomats on both sides already about the future governance of Iraq. Behind the scenes however I think that the British government accepts that the Americans are way ahead in terms of power and influence in the lead here and that they can tug on the coat-tails and they can protest and if you like they can kick the ankles of the American (unclear) but in the end it will be Washington who decides.

SEAMUS McKEE

Andrew, to come to the talks with the local parties later. All except the DUP from whom we'll be hearing in a moment. Have you heard anything other than the guidance that we were being given by the Prime Minister's spokesman. It's not a done deal, that's not where we're at. We hope to encourage the parties to take the big steps the prime minister outlined in October but how they respond is up to them. 

ANDREW MARR

No, not really. I mean it's quite clear there is a quiet optimism that they're going to get a very substantial response from the IRA later in the week. Everybody is hoping for that. Nobody wants to count their chickens before they're hatched. Everybody is sure that the presence here of George Bush really reminding both sides that any era when influential groups in America would finance and support terrorism is now over. And the 9/11 changed the mood of America not just in regard to extreme Islamic terrorism but terrorism generally. Tony Blair feels that that message rammed home again might help just secure the deal.

SEAMUS McKEE

Have you detected the cynicism that many argue there is, not just in the attitudes of some of the political leaders but also in the general public about this meeting? On the one hand, they're making war on leaders in Iraq who refuse to give up weapons. On the other hand, negotiating and trying to do deals with people here who still haven't given up all their weapons.

ANDREW MARR

Certainly and you know you talk to people around Hillsborough, just people I've bumped into and everybody has a wry comment about this very, very strange summit. It's meant to be a piece of political theatre which helps Tony Blair in several directions at once. But there's absolutely no doubt that people I've been talking to around here look at this and say well (a) they're talking about war in Iraq and (b) why are they meeting in Northern Ireland? Maybe it's because it's one of the few places, perhaps the only place in Europe as a whole, where they won't face absolutely mammoth anti-war demonstrations when George Bush landed.
 

Program: Radio 4 Today Date & Time: April 8, 2003 - 7.51 a.m. Subject Hillsborough Summit - Secretary of State

SARAH MONTAGUE

Well Paul Murphy is Northern Ireland's Secretary. Good morning.

PAUL MURPHY, SECRETARY OF STATE

Good morning to you.

SARAH MONTAGUE

Are you expecting a move by Republicans by the end of the week?

PAUL MURPHY, SECRETARY OF STATE

I don't know. I obviously hope there will be because the whole purpose of the last number of weeks and months has been to ensure that all sides involved in the difficulties we've experienced over the last number of weeks do get together and resolve the problems. So the two governments of course will issue their joint declaration later this week. That deals with implementing all the aspects of the Good Friday agreement, which as you know is the anniversary this week. 

And secondly we want to ensure that the IRA ceases its activities and we need a statement about that too. But the whole purpose of what is effectively the most critical week for Northern Ireland since the signing of the Good Friday agreement is to move forward and a chance for us all to implement the Agreement in one final step.

SARAH MONTAGUE

Given you what you heard from George Bush in meetings last night what difference can he make?

 PAUL MURPHY, SECRETARY OF STATE

Well I think that he can encourage all the parties to endorse the way forward. And it's the encouragement by the United States administration all over the last number of years which has helped tremendously in this peace process. That's why of course he's here today in Hillsborough. It is an important week obviously because of Iraq, but it's also hugely important for us too in Northern Ireland and I think that encouragement for the parties Š

SARAH MONTAGUE

How is his knowledge of Northern Ireland affairs though?

PAUL MURPHY, SECRETARY OF STATE

Well a few weeks ago for example all political leaders in Northern Ireland went to Washington where they met the President, where he made a very good and very encouraging speech about the peace process. He's helped by Ambassador Richard Haas who's a special envoy here in Northern Ireland. 

He's deeply committed to peace in Northern Ireland as indeed all the United States' administrations have been over the last number of years. And so because of that, as you said earlier on, the President of the United States, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland will be here today to encourage all the parties to move forward.

SARAH MONTAGUE

You talk about the IRA producing a statement, is that going to be good enough even if they do produce it?

PAUL MURPHY, SECRETARY OF STATE

The statement refers to or would have to refer to what we call acts of completion and of course words are important but they have to accompanied by deeds as well. That's what the Prime Minister said back in October last year and that's what everybody wants and indeed we look forward to in the days ahead. You see we haven't finished this yet. We've gone a long way over the last number of months but there's still some way to go and this last push 

SARAH MONTAGUE Some way 

PAUL MURPHY, SECRETARY OF STATE

  by the parties in order to encourage, encourage them to come up with what is required to restore trust and confidence is what is necessary.

SARAH MONTAGUE

So what do you think the likelihood is that elections will actually happen as they currently are scheduled to on May the 29th?

PAUL MURPHY, SECRETARY OF STATE

Yes our view is that they should go ahead. We changed the date from May the 1st to May the 29th so as to ensure that all the parties in Northern Ireland had a chance to look at the declarations.

SARAH MONTAGUE

So what's the likelihood of it, those, what's the likelihood of it though because you say they should go ahead and I mean 

PAUL MURPHY, SECRETARY OF STATE

Well I see no 

SARAH MONTAGUE

  anybody could say that?

PAUL MURPHY, SECRETARY OF STATE

Well I see no reason why they shouldn't at all. I mean as I've said we've already passed an Act of Parliament, changed the date, and there are no plans as far as this Government is concerned to change it again.

 SARAH MONTAGUE

Of course one reason they, they might not go ahead is that whatever the IRA comes up with it's a question of whether David Trimble can sell it to his party?

PAUL MURPHY, SECRETARY OF STATE

Well it's very important of course that the Ulster Unionist Party and unionism in general does actually have confidence in this process in the same way that Nationalism has too. So of course we have to give ourselves confidence right down this process, but so far as the elections are concerned I do think it's important that people have the opportunity to express their vote in a democratic way. We want a democratic, peaceful society here in Northern Ireland. That's what this week is all about and that's why the President is here to encourage us to move in that direction.

Program: GMU Date & Time: April 8, 2003 - 8.16 a.m. Subject Bush Summit - Gregory Campbell, DUP

WENDY AUSTIN

Your party has been complaining about not being invited to meet the President, would you have gone had you been asked?

GREGORY CAMPBELL

Yes we would, but I think that's a secondary issue. We're talking about a principle here, and it's a principle of equal treatment, particularly when this community and this country has come through the 34 years that it has, and we look at what's happening now in terms of policing recruits. We have a policing service which we would like all to work towards, everybody being in support of. 

There's a section of the community there treated differently, they're discriminated against, and now on a political realm we have exactly the same format, and I don't blame President George Bush, we don't hold the American Administration responsible, because obviously they're here as guests of Tony Blair and the Northern Ireland Office. But it is the NIO and Downing Street who are responsible. 

They have discriminated against a sizable section, probably the majority of the unionist community that said to them, no we won't hear you, but we will hear the other people, the IRA and Sinn Fein, we will hear the Ulster Unionists, and the SDLP.

WENDY AUSTIN

In a week when it looks from what we are reading and seeing and hearing, when it looks as though there may be enough movement to allow the 2 Prime Ministers to come back on Thursday and announce some kind of done deal. Can you understand in any way that the President would wish only to meet with those who have been working towards that deal?

GREGORY CAMPBELL

Well I would have thought that the President and the Northern Ireland Office would want to hear from the people in Northern Ireland who represent a huge number of ordinary voters, and ordinary constituents. They would want to hear all of their views, because different people in the different political parties are working towards the same objective. 

There's no-one who wants to work away from peace, we're all working towards peace, but we and the people whom we represent do not believe that the present process can deliver it. Now we can point to the past five years as evidence that it hasn't delivered it, but that's not going to put us off, we want, and we're determined to work towards a shared objective which is peace, no arms, no violence, no groups committed to violence getting into Government. 

Now if a Prime Minister and a President of the United States don't want to hear from people who represent that volume of opinion and a growing volume of opinion within the unionist community, then they have to explain why.

WENDY AUSTIN

Why would you not meet Mr. Haass, the President's Envoy?

GREGORY CAMPBELL

Well I mean we've met Mr. Haass on a number of occasions, we've met him, I've met him, and my party has met him, and the party leader has met him on several occasions. What we're being told now is, the President of the United States is meeting all the other main parties, you can meet Mr. Haass, no I mean we are not going to be treated shabbily, our community, the people whom we represent are not going to be treated in an off hand or a second degree fashion like that. 

WENDY AUSTIN

You must be aware of a view that exists that if this is the week in which the deal is done, if you like, that there would be many who would feel that for the DUP then to be photographed or whatever with President Bush, that that would be seen to some extent as almost taking the credit for something in which they haven't played any part.
 GREGORY CAMPBELL

Well you could look at it the other way. You could look at it if the NIO and the spin doctors had been really at their game, they could have said, well look the DUP can really be embarrassed here, because if there's a done deal, and if there's going to be a whole series of things when the IRA are going to do certain things, and then there's going to be dismantling of watchtowers, a reduction in policing, troop numbers, all of that, let's implicate the DUP with that.

I mean if they were really wanting to embarrass us, and sideline us, why (unclear), and yet at the same time offer equality of treatment. Why didn't they simply say, let's get the DUP in, let's show them that they're part of this deal, and embarrass them in so doing, but they haven't even been able to do that. But what they have done is treated our people, our voters, not about us, not about the political leaders or the MPs or MLAs, it's about those who vote for us, growing numbers of people who feel totally disenfranchised by discriminatory action in Downing Street.

Program: GMU Date: April, 8, 2003 Subject HILLSBOROUGH SUMMIT

SEAMUS MCKEE

Iraq still dominating. It is being billed as a war summit. The Prime Minister and the President are due to get together with a couple of officials, then they will be joined by Jack Straw and Colin Powell. So the Iraq situation still very much at the top of their agenda.

MARK DEVENPORT

Absolutely, that is the main business of this summit, even though they will get onto Northern Ireland a little bit later in the day, but they will start with a joint military briefing at which I imagine they will be getting the very best assessments of both US and British intelligence as to what happened there in the Mansur district of Baghdad and whether they have indeed, this time, managed to target Saddam Hussein and members of his leadership structure.

 After the military briefing about the situation on the ground, the President and the Prime Minister will be joined, as you say, by Jack Straw and Colin Powell and there will be a discussion really, I think, about the way forward in Iraq and as we know there is a debate there as to what would be the proper structures with Britain leaning much more towards a UN role in terms of the future of Iraq than the Americans who already appointed this retired General Jay Garner to look after Iraq in the short term before handing over as all sides seem agreed eventually to some kind of Iraqi government. 

But then after that particular briefing meeting has finished they will meet members of the press, spell out their views both out on Iraq and on the local situation and then we get really into the local politics, that happens around lunchtime, early afternoon as you say with the Taoiseach and local political leaders joining them.

SEAMUS MCKEE

The Prime Minister's spokesman saying this is not a done deal as far as the way ahead here is concerned, that is not where we are. We are encouraging the parties to take the big steps the Prime Minister outlined in that speech last October, how they respond is up to them.

MARK DEVENPORT

Yes I think there the Downing Street spokesmen is really playing the game of trying to play down expectations. There is a sense that really quite a lot is known about what will happen this week. It is a done deal in terms of what the British and Irish Governments are likely to announce. We know that they have got this range of proposals that stretches from demilitarization through to human rights, equality, on-the-run, paramilitaries etc that is likely to come out in the course of three separate documents, two side agreements that will cover the controversial aspects of sanctions and on-the-run paramilitaries. 

It is true that you can't take for granted any of the parties various responses, but speaking over the course of the weekend to a senior US official, he said he was fairly up beat about the quality of what had been negotiated and the same sort of line had came just yesterday when you were speaking on this program to Paul Murphy, the Secretary of State. So I think whilst they don't want to count any chickens here, they do know that they are on the brink of what they hope will be a major move forward.
 SEAMUS MCKEE

The spokesman was asked how the two leaders would respond to accusation of hypocrisy, or double standards, making war on people who wouldn't give up weapons in Iraq, negotiating with people who still haven't given up all of their weapons here and he said well the difference is that over 12 years Saddam Hussein was given every opportunity of giving up his weapons, he still refused. 

Here people did show a willingness to try to move forward. There are still problems, that is why the Prime Minister made that speech last October. How will that wear with people who say that this whole thing is a cynical exercise?

MARK DEVENPORT

That is the kind of defense that they will mount. That is Downing Street's defense. We have already heard the Americans saying that they have got nothing to be embarrassed about. Clearly this was a British idea to link the two. It has been met with some degree of cynicism on the part it should be said of some of the political leaders who will be going into Hillsborough today to meet the President and the Prime Minister and also on the part of anti-Agreement unionists who make this charge of double standards and who will be locked outside the DUP having been conspicuously missed out of the list of invitees. But I think the Americans say well look, people disagree with us, so be it.

SEAMUS MCKEE

So that is why the DUP hasn't been invited, simply because they are against the Agreement?

MARK DEVENPORT

I think really the line that you would get is that given the pressure is on the President's time the US administration wants to meet those people who they believe will put their shoulders to the wheel and actually do a deal. They want to see movement forward rather than simply doing the rounds for politeness, shaking everybody's hands. The DUP say look you could regret this in time, if we do well in the next Assembly elections, but that is really I think a fairly obvious diplomatic move if you like to try to give the pro-Agreement parties a bit of a leg up because they are not only facing into the possibility of doing a deal but also into the eminent possibility of the election

JOINT STATEMENT BY

PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH

AND PRIME MINISTERS TONY BLAIR AND BERTIE AHERN

ON NORTHERN IRELAND

HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE, April 8, 2003

We reaffirm our individual and collective commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and to its full and complete implementation. The people of Northern Ireland and their leaders have a momentous opportunity to ensure that peace is strengthened and political stability is secured.

The opportunity to cement the peace is historic. The case is compelling; the cause just; the outcome must be fair, balanced, and comprehensive. The acceptance and implementation of the Governments' forthcoming proposals would promote the reconciliation that the people of Northern Ireland desire and deserve.

These proposals, built on the firm ground of the Good Friday Agreement, hold out the prospect of enormous progress. They reflect our shared view that there can be no place in Northern Ireland for paramilitary activity and capability. The break with paramilitarism in all its past forms must be complete and irrevocable. The proposals will encompass a wide range of additional issues, including normalization, the devolution of justice and policing, sustainable political institutions, and human rights. 

The participation of all parties in effective community policing, a necessary key to long term stability in Northern Ireland, would constitute a significant step forward. There will be a need for a mechanism, one designed to safeguard the interests and rights of all, to verify compliance with the key undertakings. All three Governments are committed to supporting effective monitoring arrangements. Acts of completion, and a reaffirmation that political change is to come through exclusively peaceful and democratic means, will renew and expand trust and confidence.

Peace is its own dividend. At the same time, peace fosters an environment where entrepreneurship and business creativity can thrive, where jobs will be created, and where prosperity will follow. Our Governments have agreed to work together to explore ways to encourage the flow of investment to Northern Ireland.

We call upon Northern Ireland's political representatives, community and business leaders, and citizens from all walks of life to respond positively to the forthcoming statements. We see no better way to fulfill the promise of the Good Friday Agreement. They have an unprecedented chance to continue their bold march from a troubled past to a future of promise and hope for generations to come. In seizing this opportunity, Northern Ireland will serve as a model to the world for dialogue and negotiation, demonstrating to all that what was once divided can be drawn together in a spirit of reconciliation and respect.