Dec. 1, 2003

ADAMS SAYS THERE WILL BE NO NEGOTIATION

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said today there could be no renegotiation of the Belfast Agreement. In a speech to his Assembly team at Stormont, Adams said the anti-agreement Democratic Unionists must not have a veto on implementing the agreement.

He said: "There can be no renegotiation of the Good Friday Agreement. That is our position and we make no bones about it. The principle structures and obligations of that agreement cannot and will not be subverted."

Adams, whose party overtook the SDLP as the largest nationalist group in the Assembly, denied that the current situation was a stand-off between Sinn Fein and the DUP. 

He added: "Sinn Fein recognizes and respects the mandates of all the other parties. We have our own analysis and policies but this does not prevent us from listening and engaging with our opponents. On the contrary, unlike the DUP we are not afraid of dialogue. We are very much in favor of it - that is why our party has sought meetings with all the other parties and with the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister."

The Sinn Fein chief has already met Northern Secretary Paul Murphy, calling on him to lift the suspension of the power-sharing institution. Murphy has resisted the call stating it would be highly unlikely that the parties could agree to form an executive within the six week time period. 

Adams said that it was the DUP's choice whether to participate in the power sharing administration but it could not act as a veto on other elements of the agreement. 

"It is therefore up to Mr. Blair along with the Taoiseach to proceed with their commitments on policing, the criminal justice system, demilitarization, the equality agenda, human rights, the Irish language and other matters including OTRs (on the run paramilitary suspects)."

He added: "Sinn Fein will engage in good faith with the (British) Government and the other parties and we look to everyone to play a positive leadership role." 

The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, Dr Ian Paisley, has said he would not be willing to accept the title of First Minister in an administration that included Sinn Féin members. 

He also said he would not sit down and negotiate with Sinn Féin while the IRA retained its weapons. 

He said: "I don't accept the principle that we must sit down with armed terrorists who have enough weapons in their possession to blow up the whole of Northern Ireland." 

Asked if he could accept the title of First Minister, Dr Paisley said: "Not with IRA/Sinn Fein in government." 

He added: "I believe we have a golden opportunity now to have this matter settled once and for all. If you are going to take part in the government of Northern Ireland, you can't have an armed army to use in blackmailing the British government and trying to get more concessions." 

Sinn Féin MLA Alex Maskey said Paisley could not be allowed to renegotiate the Belfast Agreement. He said 70 per cent of the elected representatives are from pro- Agreement parties. 

"The Good Friday Agreement is a treaty between two governments and has been endorsed by a referendum in Ireland as a whole, so it is not something that can be tinkered with. A new agreement would require a new treaty and a referendum. It's not a matter for one party to say they will turn that agreement on its head. The DUP must realize that they can't usurp the will of the people," Mr. Maskey said. 

Meanwhile, anti-agreement Ulster Unionist Jeffrey Donaldson was today threatened with a special council meeting to call for his resignation. 

Donaldson, who repeated his call for UUP leader MR. David Trimble to resign over his party being overtaken by the Democratic Unionists, confirmed that moves were being made to have him ejected.

"One of my colleagues indicated that there might be a requisition for a special meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council to call for my resignation but I don't know how correct that is," he said.

He was speaking after a meeting of the UUP Assembly group which had been billed as a showdown between the pro and anti-Agreement camps.

Donaldson said he believed the only way forward for his party was for Trimble to step down. He refused to speculate on whether he would bid to become leader of the party.

"There isn't a vacancy at the moment and a vacancy doesn't arise naturally until the Ulster Unionist Council in March. That's why I have chosen my words carefully and said that in the interests of rebuilding the party before the next election that the party leader should step aside." 

Dec. 1, 2003

Meetings with Political Parties

Widespread coverage on DUP talks with the Secretary of State scheduled for this afternoon at Castle Buildings. The DUP's deputy leader, Peter Robinson, speaking in advance of today's meeting, insisted that his anti-Agreement party have a 'positive agenda, an agenda for change'. Mr. Robinson said that republicans must not be allowed in Government until the IRA is dismantled. Murphy said that the fundamental principles of the Agreement must remain and he is writing to all parties inviting them to take part in a review of the Agreement next month Irish News (P4). See also Financial Times (P2).

Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, appeared to offer a ray of hope stating that there was scope for discussion on many of the DUP's issues with the present peace process Irish News (P4). See also Irish Independent (P11), Times (P10), Daily Telegraph (P2). Irish Times (P8) claims that the Irish Government has the view that significant changes to the operation of the NI Assembly and Executive may be conceded to broker a deal with the DUP - the Taoiseach said 'we have to try to move to an inclusive agreement that deals with the issues for the future'. He offered to hold speedy talks with all of the Northern Ireland parties and said 'I fully accept that the review is going to mean change, I don't want fundamental changes I want to build on what we have'. 

News Letter (P8) states that conflicting signals are still emerging from the DUP. DUP leader Ian Paisley retains an uncompromising line, however deputy leader, Peter Robinson, has rejected the label of 'a party of wreckers' and said yesterday that it would be in 'listening mood' when it meets the Secretary of State today Times (P10).

Most papers comment on the weekend meetings with the Secretary of State and pro-Agreement leaders, David Trimble, Gerry Adams and Mark Durkan at Hillsborough. The Irish News (P4) reports that the Secretary of State resisted nationalist demands to lift the suspension of the power sharing Assembly. See also Sun (P2) News Letter (P8). Irish Times (P9) features an interview with Mark Durkan following his meeting with the Secretary of State in which he reviews the SDLP's electoral performance. 

Program: UTV
Date & Time:Dec. 1, 2003
Subject: Political Situation

MIKE NESBITT

Obviously Jeffrey Donaldson spoke outside the four walls saying David Trimble’s position was untenable, can it be resolved quickly?

KEN REID

I think it is going to be difficult. Interestingly David Burnside has just left a meeting and said he is not happy with things. But I do think that what David Trimble’s tactics will be to try and force Jeffrey Donaldson to show his hand. I think that perhaps we thought there was 5 maybe on Friday against David Trimble of the 27 MLAs. I think there is a lot of work going on over the weekend and that might be as low as 4, we will see later on today. But I do think that David Trimble is trying to mark out his own territory and force Jeffrey Donaldson to decide whether to stay in the Ulster Unionist Party or to do something else.

MIKE NESBITT

Jeffrey Donaldson, every time he has called a council meeting has lost. So it is difficult for him isn’t it?

KEN REID

And it is hard to imagine that that position is going to change. I think one of the impressions after the election result is that David Trimble’s support has remained firm. We saw David Trimble here in the studio on Friday and he was quite defiant, determined to move on. And of course there is areas that could be explored. He is pushing this idea of going into the review and perhaps another election in June, about the time of the European vote. Of course people say well okay you will get more out to vote and that would help the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP, but there are others who are saying look the DUP in a couple of constituencies, including East Belfast didn’t manage their vote all that well and perhaps they could actually improve their position. The Ulster Unionist Party didn’t suffer the devastation that perhaps some had predicted, but at the end of the day the DUP is now the largest unionist party and that is the reality.

MIKE NESBITT

And since its inception the DUP is a party of opposition, a very vocal one, and suddenly after all those years they are the party with power. How will they play it?

KEN REID

It is interesting. They are meeting, the DUP’s Ian Paisley, Peter Robinson meeting the Secretary of State this afternoon. This argument that if you talk to Peter Robinson and then Ian Paisley, it is as if you are talking to two parties, they deny that vehemently. But it is hard to see how the Government can make substantive progress when Ian Paisley is taking this tough line. 

Now the DUP can talk to the Government, the Government can talk to Sinn Fein, but it is hard to see how the problem can be resolved before the European election, and that is in June. But what I do know is that before Christmas, in the next fortnight, Ian Paisley will be invited to Downing Street because the Prime Minister is going to talk to all the political leaders to try and plan out the way forward and then we will have the review some time in January, starting in January.

MIKE NESBITT

Obviously there are fences to be mended between the Prime Minister and the DUP leader.

KEN REID

Absolutely. The relationship hasn’t been good at all.

Program: Radio Ulster News 8.00 a.m.
Date & Time: Dec. 1, 2003
Subject Political Process

Secretary of State Paul Murphy, is meeting the DUP today following the party’s victory in last week’s election. Mr. Murphy is expected to ask the DUP whether they will participate in a review of the Good Friday Agreement due to begin in January. Politicians will gather at Stormont today even though the Assembly remains suspended. 

MARK DEVENPORT

Over the weekend a series of party leaders headed in to see the Secretary of State, Paul Murphy, at Hillsborough Castle. David Trimble is hinting at a rematch in the coming months, while Sinn Fein is telling the Government it must press forward with its commitments on questions such as the return of republicans still on the run. Later today the election’s main winners, Ian Paisley’s DUP, are likely to give the Government a very different message. 

In Castle Buildings, the very place in which the Good Friday Agreement was negotiated, they will tell Mr. Murphy it is time to go back to the drawing board. Whilst the Government tries to work out the best way forward, the Stormont Assembly remains suspended. But most of the newly elected politicians are expected to gather there today for internal party discussions. The Ulster Unionist group meeting is likely to be the most hot and heavy, with the party’s pro and anti-Agreement factions blaming each other for last week’s reverses.

Program: GMU – Mark Devenport
Date & Time: . 1, 2003
Subject: Political process

CONOR BRADFORD

Mark, you along with doubtless, most of the newly elected Assembly members, heading up to Stormont today to see what gives. Could this be a bright new dawn?

MARK DEVENPORT

It doesn’t sound like the kind of description most people would use for it, I think it’s the beginning of a very slow and probably long process. Stormont will actually be quite busy which is a little bit bizarre given that the Assembly is still suspended, but all these parties are going to be meeting in their groups and in particular the Ulster Unionist group meeting will be pretty hot and heavy I would imagine.

CONOR BRADFORD

Now what about this whole business of different themes running within the DUP. You’ve had Ian Paisley saying he will not negotiate with Sinn Fein until the arms are got rid of, full stop. Others argue to a more pragmatic approach by people such as Mr. Robinson who we’ve just heard of, is that a valid argument?

MARK DEVENPORT

Well I think, yes, there’s obviously different strands within that. Peter Robinson denies that there’s any kind of a direct split, but you hear very different things coming from him or from, say, Willy Hay up in Foyle to the kind of rhetoric that you hear from Ian Paisley. The fact is though that they don’t really have to negotiate with republicans, it’s been pointed out that the Ulster Unionists didn’t have any direct talks with republicans in the run up to the Good Friday Agreement and it’s quite possible that the Government could operate a sort of shuttle system in between these two parties and they could still come up with some ideas. 

Now whether those ideas are workable, whether the DUP actually really wants to share power with republicans, that’s an open question. But, one thing I would say is, you know, we have been sitting over the last few years in the Stormont canteen and in the Stormont hall and these people have been coming and going, sitting in committees, they sit on separate tables when they have their lunch, but they all kind of work the system and they all use the same checkout and it’s not as if there’s no history here.

CONOR BRADFORD

Yes, well I mean, they’re hardly going to serve different checkouts I suppose.

MARK DEVENPORT

Well you never know.

CONOR BRADFORD

What about Mr. Trimble’s problems, is Jeffrey Donaldson, with his big majority, finally going to get into the ring and have a bare knuckle fight with Trimble?

MARK DEVENPORT 

Well, I mean, he’s already started doing it when he said that Mr. Trimble’s position was untenable now that they are the smaller of the two unionist parties and quite clearly I think there’s going to be some very direct dialogue between the two factions within Ulster Unionism in their meeting. I mean, Jeffrey Donaldson is part of a group of five really who are committed anti-Agreement types and then David Trimble, at the moment, has the loyalty of the other 22. 

And some people are saying, well Jeffrey should just leave and leave the 22 to it. But I think what we’ll see maybe, whilst we’ll have some immediate exchanges, is that this will work itself out over the course of the next few weeks and months. And there are some, kind of, fence sitters on there in that group, about half a dozen of them and it could well be that the future of Mr. Trimble rests to a large extent in their hands.

CONOR BRADFORD

Some say that Jeffrey Donaldson just isn’t popular within the Ulster Unionist Party, why should that be the case?

MARK DEVENPORT

Well, I mean, he’s popular with about 45% of the Ulster Unionist Party. The Ulster Unionist problem in terms of working out where they go from here is that the division is so clearly a sort of half and half division, more or less, that it’s very hard to reform because if you say, right it’s Jeffrey’s turn now then you’ll get lots of other people walking away. So it is a constant difficulty for them, as we have seen at various Ulster Unionist Council meetings. 

And when Jeffrey Donaldson comes under attack from the likes of David McNarry, which is probable this morning, he’ll be giving precisely that answer which Peter Robinson gave to Good Morning Ulster earlier on, what about my 14,000 votes, who says I’m not popular?

CONOR BRADFORD

We haven’t mentioned the SDLP, what’s their role in all this beyond licking their wounds?

MARK DEVENPORT

Well I think it is a case of licking their wounds. They are really going to be working out what the future holds for them. You know, what is the point of the SDLP if they are not to be the main nationalist party? I mean no doubt they would still see themselves, in essence, as a kind of a think tank of interesting ideas that might possibly help the peace process over the humps that it faces in the future. 

But one has to say looking at the trends within nationalist politics, it’s almost less likely, you would think, that the SDLP will be able to make a comeback and overturn the tables on Sinn Fein, then it is that the Ulster Unionists could make a comeback in the future.

CONOR BRADFORD

Well some people say there might be an election early in the New Year. But we’ll wait and see.

MARK DEVENPORT

Well Paul Murphy doesn’t say that, I can tell you that. I predicted there was going to be a second election, it’s going to be on mid summer’s day with U2 playing at all the polling stations to try to attract people out to vote. I don’t see one happening in January.

Dec. 2, 2003

Post-Election Talks

DUP leader Rev Ian Paisley has pledged to pursue a constructive political agenda following his meeting with the Secretary of State, Paul Murphy. Both parties said the meeting was positive although one Government source confirmed the difficult issue of whether future talks one the Good Friday Agreement would be a review or a renegotiation was not tackled. The Secretary of State is writing to all of the local political parties today inviting them to submit their proposals on how the review of the Agreement should be conducted. The DUP is to meet Murphy again soon and is also expected to meet Tony Blair, Irish Times (p1), News Letter (p8,9), Irish News (p13), Independent (p2), Guardian (p11), Daily Telegraph (p4), Irish Independent (p8). 

At the meeting of Ulster Unionist MLAs at Stormont yesterday Jeffrey Donaldson repeated his call for David Trimble to resign, but was met with a statement by David McNarry that he had the requisite signatures to call a UUC meeting to propose a motion of no confidence in him if he did not desist from divisive behavior. David Trimble refused to comment on the resignation call, while in a media interview after the meeting Donaldson repeated his belief that Trimble needed to step down but would not speculate on whether he would bid to become leader of the party, News Letter (p8,9), Irish Times (p8), Irish News (p13).

Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams dedicated his party's success in the election to the memory of Bobby Sands and other hunger strikers and said he was pleased to be in Stormont as 'an unrepentant fenian'. He said he was determined to see the Good Friday Agreement implemented and to create a new dispensation of peace on the island. He also said that the DUP can refuse to participate if they wish in the political institutions....but they cannot veto the other elements of the Agreement, Irish Independent (p8).

Gerry Adams announced that Conor Murphy would take up the position as leader of the Sinn Fein Assembly group, Irish News (p13).

DUP's Peter Robinson stated that whatever agenda is going to be set for negotiations it is sufficiently broad to provide us with the necessary scope to deal with all of the matters that we are mandated to pursue and that there are no limitations that will be imposed on us that won't allow us to deal with concerns that unionists have expressed. Sinn Fein's Mitchel McLaughlin said that there will be negotiation and there will be discussion and that it will eventually lead to direct dialogue between his party and the DUP, News Letter (p9).

Additional reporting, see also, Irish News (p13), News Letter (p8,9), Irish Times (p1,8), Irish Independent (p8), Daily Telegraph (p4), FT (p4), Independent (p2), Guardian (p1), Mirror (p2).

News Letter editorial (p8) states that there has been a slight shift of position in Peter Robinson's stance with the forthcoming talks.

Guardian comment and analysis (p26) states that the rock of unionism can still sink powersharing and that Ian Paisley is not the only stumbling block to an era of new realist co-operation.

Program: BBC News 24
Date & Time: Dec. 2, 2003
Subject: Northern Ireland

MEDIA

Returning to Northern Ireland just briefly, have the events of the past few days increased your expectations of the DUP, and what will you say to the Reverend Ian Paisley when you see him in Downing Street before Christmas?

TONY BLAIR

Well, I’d wish him a Happy Christmas, I should think. No it will be, we will have a discussion about the future, it’s important. But you know, we’ve got to find our way through it then. In the end, all the Governments can do, and all the British Government in particular can do in this situation, is try and facilitate progress, and I think and hope and believe actually, that most people of Northern Ireland recognize that Northern Ireland in December 2003 is a better place than Northern Ireland 10 years ago. 

Now, there’s been an election result, it means that the DUP is the largest unionist party, (unclear) and we’ve got to work with them, and we’ll try and work with them. But in the end all I can do is, you know, try and help people to find arrangements that are satisfactory, and you know, but what the DUP and I’m sure they do know is that with power also comes responsibility, and they’ve got a responsibility now to people in Northern Ireland to try and make this process work, and I hope they live up to that responsibility. 

But we will carry on obviously, having discussions with the other political parties as well. Since as I say, you know, I mean I think if you look at the overall balance, yes the DUP came out ahead, but the UUP actually did pretty well as well, so I’d think you’d have to say it’s a reasonably balanced situation.

Program: SKY NEWS
Date & Time: Dec. 2, 2003 11.19
Subject: Tony Blair Press Conference

BRIAN O’CONNELL, RTE

Prime Minister I know you have already said you don’t like answering what if I lose questions, but may I ask you this about Northern Ireland? Last Spring when you invited us in here to announce that you were postponing the Northern Ireland elections and we asked you why, you said it would be disastrous if an anti-Agreement party like the DUP won or did well, as they have now. Your worst nightmare must have come true on that. How long in the absence of the restoration of the institutions are you prepared to allow this to go on, and is there any possibility that if they fail to re-establish a power sharing Government that you will re-run the election?

TONY BLAIR

There’s no point in pretending to you that I didn’t think it was very important that we carried on with the situation we had prior to the election. On the other hand, I mean you say this is the worst scenario that I could have imagined, no, I could have imagined a far worse scenario. I mean after all 70% of the population in Northern Ireland actually voted in favor of, you know pro-Agreement parties. 

Secondly it was in the end a pretty close run thing. Thirdly I understand from the DUP that they’re saying that they still want some form of Agreement to go forward, we’ll have to take it forward and we’ll have to do so acknowledging I hope the fantastic progress that’s been made in Northern Ireland, and these things are often, you know, they fall within pretty narrow margins. This was a margin that went for the DUP, it could have gone the other way for the UUP. 

I don’t actually think overall the percentage of the vote for the UUP actually fell, so it’s a more difficult situation yes, but it’s one we’ll have to manage and we’re used to managing difficult situations in Northern Ireland, but you know what’s interesting to me is there’s, no, tell me if I’m wrong, but there’s no sense that the political situation which needs resolving is going to lead to a security crisis. On the contrary, people are looking at how they work the thing out in a peaceful and democratic way. 

BRIAN O’CONNELL, RTE

How long are you prepared to allow it to go on in the absence of acts of completion, how long can you allow direct rule to continue?
 
 

TONY BLAIR

I can’t really say Brian. I mean we just, I mean I’ll be in a better position frankly once I’ve met the parties. As you know the DUP met Paul Murphy yesterday. I mean obviously I’ll meet them I imagine some time before Christmas, and we’ll carry on working with the UUP and the SDLP and Sinn Fein as well, and let’s see if we can find a way through. 

In the end all we can do is facilitate but you know, the majority of people in Northern Ireland, again put me right, if I’m wrong about this, but the majority of people actually do want to see devolved Government up and running again. The question is on what terms, and that’s what we’ve got to establish and I hope that we can.

Program: GMU
Date & Time:Dec. 2, 2003 8.13
Subject: Peace Process

SEAMUS McKEE

Mark, the DUP first of all, is it going to take part in a review of the Agreement because it’s been reported this morning that, that question wasn’t actually put to them by the Secretary of State.

MARK DEVENPORT

It’s possible that it wasn’t put to them. I mean he may have put it in more general terms in terms of (unclear). You know your ideas for how you would like things to be changed but I mean the fact of the matter is I think that they will participate in the sense that they’re gearing up for some kind of proximity talks which are almost certain to take place in the Assembly building in Parliament Buildings and what they probably won’t do certainly in the first instance is they’re not going to go into a round table meeting with Sinn Fein there or enter into a situation where they could be seen to be in direct dialogue instead they will probably sit up in their offices, see other delegations and talk via the Government. 

I think they’re making no bones about that, that that’s their intention now whether others want to call it the review or they want to call it the renegotiation I think they’ll say look that’s not a question of semantics. 

SEAMUS McKEE

Well indeed because it wasn’t surprising what they were saying yesterday in a sense. Peter Robinson had made clear their position before the election. They would take part in talks on the basis that all of their areas of concern would be addressed. 

MARK DEVENPORT

Yes I think their purpose in their meeting with Paul Murphy yesterday was to say look what did you mean when you said in a Joint Governmental statement that the fundamentals of the Agreement aren’t up for renegotiation and I think they were satisfied when he gave them the answer, which was similar to the answer that he gave on Inside Politics, that he was construing those fundamentals in very broad terms in the sense that it was the principle of consent, the notion that nationalists and unionists must agree any way forward, the existence of some north/south and east/west bodies and links. 

So I think they felt that there’s enough room for maneuver for them to get over the points they want to about changing the nature of the Executive, changing the relationship of ministers to the Assembly and maybe changing the size of the Assembly itself.

SEAMUS McKEE

What about Mr. Trimble’s strategy and indeed his position? From the Government’s point of view how realistic is it to talk of progress before the Ulster Unionist leadership question is sorted out once and for all? 

MARK DEVENPORT

Well I think the Governments will be effectively working with the majority party initially in order to test out the DUP’s bona fides and see whether they intend to make good on this positive language over the last couple of days or whether everything is going run into the sand. At the same time they’re going to be keeping a weather eye on Mr. Trimble and what he can deliver if we have complete deadlock over the course of the coming months so Mr. Trimble’s strategy is obviously that he believes the DUP, now their place in this position will drop the ball, everybody will see that they can’t live up to their talk of a fair deal and that he’ll make a comeback and he has been to some extent I’m trying to strengthen his lines internally, the fact that one of the skeptics Norman Hillis seems to be closer to Mr. Trimble than Mr. Donaldson, now has been taken within that party as a positive sign that they might be able to deliver the goods if the Government ever reduce the threshold for cross community support for measures from 50% to 40% of one community or the other.

SEAMUS McKEE

Now Sinn Fein of course will be pressing for implementation of the things to which they regard themselves as entitled that were in the Joint Declaration. That of course if it were to happen would make things difficult for Mr. Trimble not least because they’d be totally opposed by the DUP.

MARK DEVENPORT

Well it will make things difficult, yes, for unionists across the board. At the same time the Government will presumably be looking at the timing of all of this, they know that Sinn Fein wants more delivery in terms of republican on the runs, demilitarization, maybe a commitment over the timing of devolution of policing and justice although that seems a little bit academic at the moment given that we haven’t got devolution of anything. 

I suppose the Government could have come up with a calculation that at a time when a comprehensive deal with the DUP or indeed with unionism seems some distance away maybe they should come up with some of those concessions to republicans and by the time they get to any real dealing further down the road that will be a matter of history. 

SEAMUS McKEE

So how much further on are we as a result of yesterday’s contacts? 

MARK DEVENPORT

I think we’re really at the beginning of a long slow process. I mean the positive thing was that nobody has been engaging at this initial stage in bombast. Indeed, yesterday’s meeting was described as quite warm and cordial, that the personal rapport between Paul Murphy and Ian Paisley isn’t bad at all but everybody knows that this potentially could be just a period if you like of phony war and we’ll get into the real hard grind in the months ahead and there’s a lot of talk that there won’t be any real progress this side of the European election which is in June.

Dec. 2, 2003 

HAASS TO VISIT NORTH'S PARTIES TOMORROW

The US special envoy to Northern Ireland, Richard Haass, will arrive in the North this week to talk to the political parties about the possibility of restoring devolution. 

The talks follow last week's election result that saw the Rev Ian Paisley's hard-line Democratic Unionist Party become the largest unionist party and Sinn Féin overtake the Social Democratic and Labour Party as the leaders of nationalism. 

He is likely to call on the parties to engage positively in a bid to restore the power sharing administration of Stormont and get the Good Friday Agreement back on track. Mr. Haass is expected to arrive in the North tomorrow and will stay for two days. 

It is expected to be Haass' last visit to the North in the role of George W. Bush's special ambassador. Haass, who left the US State Department to join New York think tank the Council for Foreign Relations in July, will be replaced as envoy at the start of next year. 

Earlier today, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that he hoped self-rule could be restored to Northern Ireland despite the success of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in last week's elections. 

Speaking at his monthly Downing Street news conference, Blair said that he expected to meet with the DUP leadership some time before Christmas. 

He said that although the DUP, which opposes the Belfast Agreement, had emerged as the largest party in the North, there appeared to be no threat of a resurgence of paramilitary violence.

"I understand from the DUP that they are saying well they still want some form of agreement to go forward. We will have to take it forward. It is a more difficult situation, yes. But it is one that we will have to manage and we are used to managing difficult situations in Northern Ireland. What is interesting to me is that there is no sense that the political situation which needs resolving is going to lead to a security crisis," Mr. Blair said.

"On the contrary, people are looking at how they work the thing out in a peaceful and democratic way." 

He emphasized that 70 per cent of the population had voted for pro-Agreement parties and that the result of the election had been a "pretty close run thing" between the DUP and Mr. David Trimble's Ulster Unionist Party. 

"The majority of people actually do want to see devolved government up and running again. The question is on what terms and that is what we have got to establish and I hope that we can," he said. 

In the Dail (Irish parliament) this evening, the Taoiseach said he intended to meet with all parties and that the SDLP and Sinn Féin had already been in touch. Although an invitation has been extended, Ahern said no agreement had been reached for talks with the DUP. 

Asked about the review of the Belfast Agreement, Ahern said such a review was provided for in the agreement and it was "coincidental" that it was to occur now. He would write to the political parties in the North today or tomorrow to seek their views, Mr. Ahern said. 

The review process would see all the former members of the last Executive submitting their opinions about how the agreement operated, added Mr. Ahern. 

He admitted the outcome of the election had made reinstating the Assembly more problematic but he stressed that people should not forget that recent opinion polls showed that the majority of citizens in northern Ireland were in favor of devolution, even if they disagreed on what form it should take. 

The UUP leadership met the Northern Secretary Paul Murphy this morning to urge him to restore the institutions as soon as possible.

The UUP delegation that met Mr. Murphy at Castle Buildings, Stormont, included party leader and former first minister Mr. Trimble as well as MLAs Sir Reg Empey, Mr. Dermot Nesbitt and Mr. David McClarty.

They described the meeting as "a good, constructive dialogue" about what they said was the urgent need to secure acts of completion from the IRA and the subsequent restoration of the Assembly.

A delegation of 13 DUP MLAs met Murphy yesterday amid concerns in Dublin and London that the party would insist on a renegotiation of the Agreement. The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, has also insisted the DUP would refuse to co-operate in government with Sinn Féin. 

However, the meeting with Murphy was described as surprisingly cordial, with the DUP pledging to pursue a "constructive" political agenda. 

Murphy is writing to the North's political parties today inviting them to submit their proposals on how the review of the agreement should be conducted. 

Dec. 3, 2003

Politics

Tony Blair yesterday spoke of his hope that the deadlock in the political process could be broken, despite the DUP refusing to talk with Sinn Fein - News Letter P8, Irish Times P8.

The British Government will try to do business with the DUP over the restoration of devolution, commenting "we have got to work with them and we will try and work with them", Tony Blair said yesterday - Irish Independent P15.

The Prime Minister attempted to put a brave face on the political crisis in Northern Ireland yesterday by acknowledging he faced "a difficult situation" - Daily Telegraph P10.

Tony Blair threw a lifeline to David Trimble yesterday when he pledged to continue working with the Ulster Unionist leader to try and save the Good Friday Agreement - Guardian P9.

The Irish Times P8 reports on Ulster Unionist David Burnside's comments where he warns that "the political process had reached stalemate" and called for the Assembly to be closed down in just 12 weeks unless the UUP, DUP, SDLP and Alliance Party could agree "a voluntary coalition" which would exclude Sinn Fein from Government.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday insisted his Government was willing to meet the DUP in a bid to restore devolution. Peter Robinson has said he would be willing to discuss areas of mutual concern - News Letter P8, Mirror P2. The Taoiseach hopes the DUP will adopt an "enabling, not a disabling role", in the forthcoming review of the Belfast Agreement - Irish Times P6.

A strong "pro-Agreement axis" is needed in the forthcoming review process to protect the Good Friday Agreement from those who would tear it apart, SDLP leader Mark Durkan said yesterday - Irish News P9.

The Irish News P9 reports on the shape a new Executive would take. The paper comments that Sinn Fein and the SDLP would be entitled to the same number of seats, while the DUP would be entitled to the first choice of the 10 Ministerial portfolios.

The US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, Richard Haass, is due to arrive in London this morning on what is likely to be his last round of talks with all sides in the Northern Ireland peace process - Irish Times P8.

The Secretary of State, Paul Murphy and Brian Cowen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, have written to the Assembly parties inviting them to state their views on the way ahead following last week's election - Irish Times P8.

Bertie Ahern has briefed the Cabinet and Fianna Fail on the outcome of the elections last week in Northern Ireland - Irish Times P8.

Writing in the Irish Times P16, Vincent Browne asks "is Paisley the new hope for peace?" He comments that "it may be easier for him to give way now he is in the ascendancy".

Letter in the Irish Times P17 from Jonathan Stephenson, former SDLP chairperson, who comments that Mr. Hume and Mark Durkan have "nothing to reproach" themselves for. "The SDLP fought a vigorous campaign in difficult circumstances."

The Daily Mirror Ps 1 & 2 urges the Secretary of State to freeze the MLA's salaries.

Writing in the Irish news P2 Brian Feeney asks "can you hear the electoral clock ticking? Will the DUP all sit on their hands while the position of First Minister and three other Ministerial limousines lie empty and waiting for them? No. The real question is, if not now, when?"

Letter from Sinn Fein Councillor, Michael Browne, who comments that the Electoral Office "had a much worse election than any other participant" - Irish News P7.

Dec. 3, 2003

ORDE CRITICIZES SDLP'S ELECTIONEERING

The Police Service of Northern Ireland's Chief Constable Hugh Orde today hit out at the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party for taking the credit for police changes in a bid to win votes in the recent Assembly elections. 

The party`s Stormont Assembly Election campaign failed spectacularly after the leadership claimed responsibility for getting rid of his predecessor Sir Ronnie Flanagan, appointing him and reforming Special Branch.

The SDLP failed campaign involved widespread newspaper advertising which claimed responsibility for the changes.

But an angry Orde rejected the electioneering tactic. He said: "It is not helpful when one group try to align or identify me in a particular way because what we are determined to deliver here is fair and effective policing for every single community in Northern Ireland."

He was responding to a question from Ulster Unionist Sam Foster at the monthly meeting of the Northern Ireland policing board.

Foster accused the SDLP of using the police chief as a political pawn to ingratiate itself with the national electorate.

"For instance they imply they got rid of Ronnie Flanagan, got rid of the special branch and they helped to employ the present chief constable. Is such a scenario acceptable to the chief constable, to become a political pawn in Northern Ireland politics?" he asked.

The SDLP took the decision to join the policing board amid fierce criticism from Sinn Fein, which last week became the largest nationalist party securing 24 seats in the Stormont Assembly.

The SDLP chairman Alex Attwood, a member of the board, defended his party`s decision to use the police reforms to help promote its electoral fortunes.

"I find it a little ironic that given that the SDLP helped to appoint the chief constable we are being criticized by a party (the UUP) that at that time did not help to appoint the new chief constable. We promoted Patten and we published the Patten changes. We have done so in the past and we will do so in the future," he added.

Dec. 5, 2003

HAASS OPTIMISTIC FOLLOWING NORTH TRIP

President Bush's envoy to Northern Ireland Richard Haass met the Irish premier Bertie Ahern last night to tell him of his conviction that the DUP is prepared to do business.

Haas told journalists after the meeting in Government Buildings in Dublin that the DUP leadership was politically sophisticated enough to know that the fundamentals of the Good Friday Agreement had to endure.

But he added that change to some of the detail and structures within the agreement was desirable in his view, "even inevitable". "I'm comfortable with the idea of limited change," he said. But he warned that any changes needed to be consistent and to enjoy broad support.

He said he was struck with the progress that has been made and at the reduction in violence. He compared today with the situation 10 years ago "and I marvel at it".

However, he added: "For all this progress, Northern Ireland is still not where it should be. We should not have private armies in the year 2003 in the middle of Europe. There's no place for that sort of thing. We should have the full normalization of politics, we should have a police force that enjoys the support of all citizens and all the political leaderships." Current political difficulties were not insurmountable, he said.

Denying again there was a political crisis, he said: "This is what you would expect in the aftermath of an election. Now, people are focused on how to move from where we are to the next step. The review [of the Belfast Agreement] will be central to this process."

He said the US administration still supports the Belfast Agreement, adding: "We obviously stand by the fundamentals of that agreement, the principle of consent, the need for power sharing, the need for political parties to reach out and work together." He said this was something the parties did "with one another, not to one another, much less against one another".

Haass recognized the significant vote for the DUP last week, interpreting the increase in support as a call by ordinary unionists for change. He said they had felt "some frustration with the status quo".

He said unionists wanted to see normalization of politics, adding: "How the DUP will react to the opportunity they have been given, we will have to see. The DUP is going to have to decide, like all the parties, what it is they want to recommend."

Haass's presence in Belfast prompted different signals from the DUP. The party leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, told Downtown radio he would be glad to see the back of Mr. Haass. But Peter Robinson, who led the DUP in talks with Haass yesterday, commended his role.

Haass sidestepped Paisley's remarks. "This process is a lot larger than personalities. It's a lot larger than my personality and my role and I would suggest that's true for everybody else."

Haas said it was no secret that last night was likely to be his last Northern Ireland mission, but that changes in personnel should never be confused with changes in policy.

Meanwhile, DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson confirmed the party would meet with Taoiseach Ahern, probably as part of the round of talks scheduled for January on the future of the Good Friday Agreement.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan last night backed away from a claim by his former deputy leader, Seamus Mallon, that Ian Paisley's DUP had been in secret talks with the Dublin Government.

Mallon amazed the House of Commons on Wednesday when he asked Northern Secretary Paul Murphy to tell MPs what Dublin had conveyed to London - that the DUP was prepared to work the Good Friday Agreement rather than wreck it. The claims have been denied by Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs and the DUP.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams also had a meeting with Ahern. Afterwards, he called for the Irish Government to publish two reports it had received from Canadian judge Peter Cory into alleged Garda and southern collusion in the deaths of two senior RUC men in Newry and the bomb deaths of Northern Ireland judge Lord Gibson and his wife.

These include allegations of collusion by the RUC and security forces in the deaths of Robert Hamill, Rosemary Nelson, Pat Finucane and Billy Wright.

Meanwhile, some of the families of the murder victims accused the governments of breaking their promises to publish the report at the beginning of this month. 

Dec. 6, 2003

DUP TO MEET WITH DUBLIN GOVERNMENT

The Democratic Unionist Party is to hold talks with the Irish government in a bid to drive forward the peace process, it was confirmed today.

DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson said his party was willing to meet with the Dublin administration in the wake of its success in last week's elections to the Stormont Assembly.

The Taoiseach, Mr. Ahern, last week invited the Rev Ian Paisley's party to a meeting to discuss how progress can be made, and Mr. Robinson confirmed talks will take place in the future.

"We have indicated that, as part of the process in which we are engaged, it is necessary for us to have a good relationship with our neighbor in the Irish Republic," he said.

"The north-south relations are one of the three strands that have to be dealt with so, therefore, of course we will meet with the government of the Irish Republic. And indeed, lest anybody has forgotten, we dealt with them before. In the talks process that took place under the chairmanship of Sir Patrick Mayhew, we met with a delegation from the Dublin government. It's not a first for us, we're prepared to do it."

"Whether it's in Dublin or whether it's in Belfast or whether it's anywhere else is a matter to be decided, but of course we will deal with them on those matters. But we are not dealing with Dublin in terms of the internal affairs of Northern Ireland."

Robinson dismissed rumors that the Rev. Ian Paisley would retire as party leader in the wake of their electoral success and insisted he still had a major role to play.

"Ian will see the task that he has put his hand to through to the end," he said.

"He will be working with us during the whole of the negotiating process, he'll be leading the team and that's the way Democratic Unionist voters would have it. Ian Paisley, as the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, has his veto on all the progress that is being made by the Democratic Unionist Party. There are not activities going on within the Democratic Unionist Party that Ian Paisley is resisting, the party is acting in a unified and coherent way in terms of the progress that it has made over the last number of months and years and it will continue to work and walk together."

Robinson said British Prime Minister Tony Blair must recognize that things had changed in Northern Ireland and a new agreement was needed.

"The Prime Minister invested everything that he had, his credibility, his time and his energy into an agreement that's failed," he added. 

Dec. 10, 2003

Politics

The Secretary of State has warned MLAs that they will not be paid if Stormont stays suspended saying without the Assembly and the institutions up and running this situation cannot be sustained in the long term. Daily Mirror Ps 1 and 2. Murphy's law is right for once. Daily Mirror editorial P6.

Writing in his Wednesday column Brian Feeney says that the result of the ID scheme's first outing was the most successful ever for Sinn Fein and the DUP...the sole achievement of the ID drive was to prove the Sinn Fein vote is real, the opposite of its objective. Irish News P2. The Secretary of State has welcomed the Electoral Commission's report and said it concludes that the 2002 electoral register more accurately reflects those entitled to be registered. Irish News P8. Eoin O'Malley writes that PR should not be blamed for the polarized result of the Northern Ireland elections. Irish Times P16.

The DUP has selected Dr Paisley to lead its Assembly team. Irish News P8.

The Chairman of the Committee to promote the Irish language in the Newry and Mourne area has called for the group to be scrapped. Newsletter P10.

Editorial Irish News P8 Assembly Election posters are still hanging from lamp posts on our streets creating an unsightly environmental eyesore.

Dec. 11, 2003

DONALDSON MAINTAINS ATTACK ON TRIMBLE

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble is pushing his party into "the second division" of Northern Ireland politics, the anti-Agreement Jeffrey Donaldson claimed tonight.

As speculation mounted about his future in the Ulster Unionists, rebel MP Mr. Jeffrey Donaldson claimed unionist voters were deserting the party because of the "failed policy" of Mr. Trimble and his supporters.

The Lagan Valley MP warned he and others would align themselves more closely to the Rev Ian Paisley's rival Democratic Unionists in peace process negotiations if the UUP hierarchy refused to renegotiate the Belfast Agreement.

He told Mourne Unionist Association's annual meeting: "It is clear that the leadership has little to show for the gambles they have taken with the integrity of our party. Now we have been overtaken by Sinn Fein/IRA for the first time in our history in terms of first preference votes cast at a major election. This represents a humiliation for Ulster Unionism."

"Yet, in spite of all this, there is no indication that the leadership will change the policy of the party to reflect the new political dispensation in unionism. Thus we find ourselves in the same position as the Conservative Party in 1997 - no change, no chance!"

"It is my firm opinion that without a clear change to a failed policy, many traditional Ulster Unionist voters will continue to desert the party and the position will become unrecoverable. The Ulster Unionist Party under its present leadership and direction is destined to play second fiddle in the second division of Ulster politics," Donaldson said.

Last month's Assembly election saw the Ulster Unionists' main rival, the DUP, overtake them to become the largest Assembly grouping and the larger unionist party.

The DUP secured 30 Stormont seats, with the Ulster Unionists taking 27. The Ulster Unionists also finished behind the DUP and Sinn Fein in the popular vote.

Trimble and his allies have insisted the election was not bad, noting the party increased its share of the vote by 1.42%.

Dec. 12, 2003

DONALDSON ORDERED TO TOE PARTY LINE

Rebel unionist MP Geoffrey Donaldson was tonight ordered to support the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party or face expulsion. A motion was passed at the party's 108- strong executive telling Donaldson to toe the line or get out.

An angry Donaldson tonight described it as a purge on the anti-Agreement wing of the party. He said that there had been an orchestrated campaign of letter writing aimed at forcing him out.

The resolution was passed by 55 votes to 33 with four abstentions after a stormy meeting which lasted more than three hours.

Donaldson said: "I believe that this represents a clear move against not only myself but against the anti-agreement members of this party. I believe this was orchestrated today, there were letters that came in which were repetitious and clearly that had been part of a campaign. This was quite deliberate. It was designed to target me specifically, to blame me for the poor election result of the Ulster Unionist Party."

Tonight's move by the party follows Donaldson's calls on David Trimble to resign after the party was overtaken by Ian Paisley's hardline Democratic Unionists in last month's Assembly elections.

The Lagan Valley MP now has a period of three weeks to support the party leadership or face disciplinary action. Trimble denied that there was a conspiracy to purge Donaldson from the party.

He said: "The Executive very deliberately didn't call on Mr. Donaldson to resign. It isn't our wish that he should do so. It is instead our wish that he should continue to be a member of the party supporting the policies and the decisions of the party."

The resolution agreed tonight stated that Donaldson's conduct during the Assembly election campaign had been detrimental to the interests of Ulster unionism and to the UUP.

Dec. 15, 2003

BLAIR TO URGE LEADERS TO BREAK IMPASSE

British prime minister Tony Blair is set to urge Northern Ireland's political leaders to break the peace process deadlock during meetings in London this week.

All five of the main political parties are expected to see Blair at Downing Street in a bid to map out plans for a New Year review of the Good Friday Agreement.

British Government sources described the talks, which are expected to take place on Wednesday, as a stock-taking exercise after last month`s Assembly elections left the prospect of devolution returning to Belfast even more remote.

"We don`t expect to know what the parties want in the review until the end of the month, but the Prime Minister wanted to see them before Christmas," one official said.

Both Blair and Irish premier Bertie Ahern are adamant the Good Friday accord is not up for renegotiation. But the Prime Minister will challenge the nationalist and unionist leaders, along with the Alliance Party, to help come up with solutions.

Dec. 17, 2003

REVIEW TO BE SHORT, SHARP AND FOCUSED SAYS BLAIR

The review of Good Friday Agreement will be "short, sharp and focussed", British prime minister Tony Blair has pledged.

Speaking after meeting Northern Ireland's main pro- Agreement parties in Downing Street, Mr. Blair said the review's remit was "the way the institutions work and how we can overcome the current impasse".

It was their first opportunity to assess the political situation following last month's assembly election.

Blair said it was too early to predict the way forward, but he pledged to do his "level best" to find a way through the difficulties.

Blair said the review would begin shortly, but that no timetable had yet been established. Blair met the parties along with Irish premier Bertie Ahern today.

The political institutions were suspended more than a year ago and the parties went into the assembly election against the background of a deadlocked process. The talks came a day after the DUP held what it described as an "extremely useful meeting" with Blair.

After Sinn Fein's meeting with the prime ministers, party president Gerry Adams said it had sought commitments from the British Government.

"I have to say that I am not assured or reassured... the taoiseach told us a week or so ago that he is going to publish the Cory report. We pressed the British Government for that commitment and I am disappointed to say that the British Government... will not be publishing the Cory report at this time. Similarly there are other matters, which are the basis of the majority of the joint declaration, of separate commitments given to us and in the public realm, that I'm not assured at this point that the British Government are going ahead with at this time."

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble said legislation providing for the setting up of the International Monitoring Commission would go through in the Irish Parliament on Thursday.

This would mean the IMC would become operational early in January, said the UUP leader. Trimble said he was given the assurance by Ahern during the Downing Street talks. He said it was a useful development because it would allow rumor to be replaced by clear facts.

However, he added: "The real underlying problem that has not been resolved is the failure of republicans to deliver effective acts of decommissioning."

The Independent Monitoring Commission - which is currently in shadow form - was set up to monitor paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan also criticized the Prime Minister's refusal to publish the Cory Report. "There are no excuses. I don't believe there's any excuse why the British Government want the information and evidence withheld from the public," he said.

Jan. 4, 2004

FUTURE BLEAK UNLESS AGREEMENT REACHED -- AHERN

Northern Ireland's future could be bleak unless all political parties work together to reach agreement, Irish Premier Bertie Ahern said today.

The Taoiseach said the power-sharing executive must be restored to avoid another period of conflict.

"The danger is that the Assembly isn`t working. If there is no executive, no sense of ministers working collectively then there is no political system," he said.

"The risk is that people will take back to the streets in one form or another and that`s a risk that is too great. If you were to have that kind of frustrated period and rejectionist period that I hope we do not see, then the future would be bleak and you would inevitably get back into some kind of conflict, let us hope it wouldn`t be violence. No society operates without its elected administration," he added.

Ahern said that the troubles and violence must be consigned to the past and political parties must move forward.

"In peace processes all around the world there is never status quo but if there is static, they go backwards," he said. "It`s been six years since the Good Friday Agreement and we`d always built in a mechanism for review."

Acknowledging that the configuration of the parties had changed, he said parties now had to focus on what changes could make a partnership government work.

"The will of the people is that we should have an Assembly and an Executive," he said. "There is a major responsibility on all of the parties in Northern Ireland to work with us in the early months of 2004 to find resolutions to these complex issues." 
 
 

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