Republican News · Thursday 13 March 2003

Negotiations a work in progress - Gerry Adams

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP addressing party activists and elected representatives in Dublin City last Saturday, following a special meeting of the party's Ard Chomhairle to discuss the current negotiations, said that "while substantial progress has been made on a range of issues, substantive gaps do remain.

"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.

"I would like to begin by taking you back almost ten years to within days of the IRA cessation in 1994, when Albert Reynolds, John Hume and I met in this city. After years of private contact and negotiations, this was the first public coming together of the various strands of nationalism on this island and its significance reverberated far beyond these shores to London, Washington and further afield. Central to what we were about at that time was the need for a peace process based on the principles of inclusion and democracy. These principles, which we have stood by, have in many ways helped create the progress achieved so far. If the last ten years, or indeed the last 30 years or the entire time since partition has proved anything, it is that exclusion, discrimination and inequality do not work, regardless of whether they are pursued by state, politicians or indeed elements of wider society.

"As we move to conclude this phase of negotiations, these basic principles remain central to our approach. In the tactical thrust of negotiations, it is crucial to actually remember what all of this is about and what we are trying to achieve - ending conflict and division on this island and building a new Ireland which is inclusive of all.

"This is the goal that guided us in the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement and it is the goal that is guiding us today. Of course, five years ago, we knew that the Agreement would not be implemented overnight. We knew that it would be more difficult to get it implemented than it was to achieve it, especially if the governments did not stand by their obligations.

"It is unacceptable that the British government has unilaterally suspended political institutions at the behest of unionism on four occasions. It is unacceptable that they have now postponed the elections at the behest of unionism. And it is unacceptable that they are now attempting to make the entire Agreement subject to sanctions demanded by unionism.

"This is not just bad for democracy, it is putting in jeopardy much of the work that we have achieved in recent weeks and months. And this should be reflected upon by those parties who have for whatever reason supported the sanctions position or acquiesced to it.

"This current negotiation actually commenced in December, picked up pace in January and became more intensive over the past few weeks, ending up of course in Hillsborough this week.

"I have to say that we did succeed in making substantial progress over all of the range of issues, which we had been pressing the British government on.

These included:

• New legislation on Policing and Criminal Justice
• Demilitarisation
• Equality
• Human Rights
• Irish Language Rights

"However, substantive gaps do remain on important issues. 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.

"We have met with and will continue to meet with the UUP to try and resolve issues such as the sustainability of the political institutions and the All-Ireland Parliamentary Forum.

"Next week, many of the Sinn Féin leadership is going to the United States. We will be engaging with the Administration at the highest levels in addition to our ongoing engagement with Irish America, which has played a valuable role in the enhancement of the peace process.

"On our return, we will be facing into the Ard Fheis at the end of the month. I think it is worth noting that this will be the first Ard Fheis to be broadcast live on RTE - ten years after the disgraceful and petty decision of the establishment parties here to ban us from the Mansion House.

"So this is not a time to become spectators. It is a time to build alliances and forge new relationships. Our party is the engine of the process of change on this island. We have a lot of work to do. A lot of people are depending on us. In the weeks ahead we have to secure commitments from the two government for the completion of the Good Friday Agreement."