Republican News · Thursday 13 March 2003

Tough talks ahead

Substantive gaps remain

This week, Sinn Féin leaders are travelling to 20 cities in North America to inform Irish American supporters of the progress made to date and to seek support for the tough talking that remains if a deal is to be secured.

Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness, Pat Doherty, Martin Ferris and Gerry Kelly on Wednesday began a six-day coast-to-coast trip to the United States, where they will take part in a wide engagement with Irish America on the current negotiations in the peace process. Mitchel McLaughlin departs for Canada today for a six-day trip. Cities they will visit include New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, Cleveland, Detroit and Toronto.

Gerry Adams will meet with US President George W Bush, along with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and all the main party leaders.

Speaking as the Sinn Féin team departed, Pat Doherty said: "The message we will be bringing to the US and Canada this St Patrick's Day is that while progress has been made in these talks, substantive gaps remain."

Doherty emphasised that the attempt to make the entire Agreement subject to sanctions demanded by unionism is unacceptable. "We are in favour of holding people accountable for their actions," he said, "but this sanctions proposal is outside the terms of the Agreement and amounts to handing the unionists a veto. It is a matter of considerable frustration that the Irish government has given the proposal credence.

"I will be assuring our supporters and friends that discussions are continuing with the two governments and the other parties in a sustained effort to close these gaps. This is very much work in progress. And we will be seeking the ongoing support of Irish America and Canada."

A reliable source, meanwhile, has indicated to An Phoblacht that there is deep cynicism amongst IRA Volunteers in relation to what they consider to be insatiable unionist demands. "What guarantee has anyone that if a deal is done unionists will simply walk away or pull things down when they don't get their own way?" the source asked.

The IRA has seen nothing at this point, he added. They know, as does everyone else, that engagements have taken place and that more work needs to be done.

The IRA remains committed to the search for a lasting and durable peace and to further enhancing the peace process under the correct circumstances, he emphasised.

But no decisions have been taken about anything by the IRA, he insisted, making absolutely clear that there is no basis whatsoever to media spins about disbandment, quantum leaps, film crews, etc.

The source pointed out that a mechanism exists for dealing with the issue of arms, the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD).