Last ditch SF 'moves' fail to save the day
From NEWS LETTER February 12th, 2000
MERVYN PAULEY
THE direct rule wheels were set in motion last night despite an 11th hour
appeal from Sinn Féin for a change of tack - and a dramatic claim by Gerry
Adams of an IRA shift. But this didn't wash with Downing Street, which confirmed
the Assembly and the power-sharing Executive were being suspended. With
the Province headed for a return to London rule over the arms deadlock,
the Sinn Fein president said a "new and significant proposition" had been
put to the British and Dublin governments. Mr Adams said it set out the
context in which the IRA would deal with the arms issue. Earlier, Sinn Féin's
chief negotiator Martin McGuinness urged Secretary of State Peter Mandelson
to step back from putting the political institutions on hold. The Education
Minister said republicans were still working hard to try to achieve a resolution
of the weapons issue. He was speaking in the face of widespread calls at
home and abroad for the Provisionals to deliver on decommissioning. London,
Belfast, Dublin and Washington all got in on the act. But Mr McGuinness
argued: "We all know that there is a need to remove all ultimatums and deadlines, threats of suspension and resignations from this process." Sinn Féin leaders, he said, had been up most of the night to try to resolve the
situation. They would not walk away from the Belfast accord because they
believed it was the '"only show in town". In a day of high political drama
and brinkmanship, Prime Minister Tony Blair had talks over the telephone
with his Dublin counterpart, Bertie Ahern. Sinn Féin negotiators were also
in contact with the two governments, pleading for more time and a rejection
of what they brand the "Trimble veto". Before the Adams' announcement
of an IRA move, a Downing Street spokesman had made it clear it would take
something "very dramatic" to avoid suspension. He described suspension
as "the least worst option", adding that the Prime Minister would go down
that route "with a heavy heart". Mr Mandelson also signalled his likely
intentions as he piled pressure on the IRA to move on disarmament and prevent
suspension. He insisted he would have "no choice" but to take the suspension
road to keep the peace process alive unless republicans stepped back from
their refusal to disarm. The ball was in the IRA's court, he said. Deputy
First Minister Seamus Mallon doggedly refused to write-off the devolved
institutions. As he waited for the latest word of how behind the scenes
negotiations were proceeding, he said: "The game is still on. The ball is still on the pitch." Mr Mallon, after talks with Mr Mandelson, repeated
his belief that suspension of the institutions would be a setback for the
Agreement, making the task of resolving the devolution-decommissioning crisis
"immeasurably more difficult". Ulster Unionist minister Michael McGimpsey
said he had never had any illusions about the intentions of the republican
movement. Everyone had placed a lot of optimism in republicans at the start
of December. "We have all been disappointed," he sighed. Monica McWilliams,
of the Women's Coalition, said Assembly members would stay at Stormont and
would work on the review if there was a suspension. She dismissed warnings
that it could be difficult to restart the institutions once they were stopped
and predicted: "Sinn Féin will not walk. Of course they are saying those
kinds of things at the moment because, like myself and others, they are
unhappy that our devolved Assembly will stop today. But it will return
and I know behind the scenes that is also their view." Ulster Unionist
Trade and Enterprise Minister Sir Reg Empey said his party had taken "enormous risks" by jumping into government with Sinn Féin, without any reciprocal
jump from republicans on disarmament. |
