Irish Republican News · June 3, 2005

Unionists wary of IRA statement

Ian Paisley’s DUP will not be deceived by “rhetoric” by the Provisional IRA, the party’s North Belfast MP has declared.

Nigel Dodds was commenting on press speculation that a statement may come soon from the IRA in response to Gerry Adams appeal for the organisation to embrace democratic politics and end its activities.

He said that the IRA have no intention of committing themselves to exclusively peaceful and democratic means.

“The IRA’s public pronouncements in the past have been proven to be utterly meaningless. Rhetoric is not what is required,” he said.

Sinn Féin general secretary Mitchel McLaughlin said yesterday that the DUP’s increased mandate must bring with it a more responsible approach to politics.

“They need to accept that there will be no return to the failed policies of the past and that the days of unionist domination are gone forever,” he said.

“However if they do not it is vital that the two governments ensure that the DUP cannot be allowed to block progress any further or to destroy a process which has achieved so much over the past decade.”

He urged the British and Irish governments to make it crystal clear that there will be no dilution of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Meanwhile, DUP leader Ian Paisley may be planning to have face-to-face talks with the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, according to reports.

East Derry MP Gregory Campbell said the meeting would be a follow-up to a letter he had written to the Archbishop Sean Brady.

Dr Brady said he looked forward to his first official meeting with Mr Paisley, the Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church.

His official spokesman said: “Mr Campbell’s letter and comments are a welcome development and Archbishop Brady looks forward to exploring the issues further in due course.”

HEVESI IN THE HOUSE

Gerry Adams’ recent appeal for the IRA to embrace purely political activity is a formula that could lead to peace, one of north America’s most powerful elected politicians has declared.

Alan Hevesi, comptroller of New York State, also stated that the DUP would need to respond positively if the IRA moves into a new mode in coming months.

A longtime campaigner against discrimination in the North, Hevesi announced his office’s first-ever direct investment in the North of almost 6 million Euro.

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