Mallon calls on UUP and Sinn Féin to end "miserable dispute"

The SDLP deputy leader has said that the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Féin must end, what he called, their miserable dispute and get on with putting the Good Friday Agreement into practice. Seamus Mallon was speaking at his party's annual conference, which opened in Belfast this evening. Mr. Mallon called on both parties to strike a deal over decommissioning and devolution as soon as possible. He said that the peace process depends on courage and creativity, not the dead hand of dogma.

He was speaking after both Martin McGuinness and David Trimble made statements about their positions in the negotiations. Sinn Fein's Chief Negotiator would not by drawn on the possibility of any IRA move on decommissioning. Mr. McGuinness said that, if there was to be any hope of removing all the guns, then they had to make politics work. He said that the politicians had to take control and that it would then be a matter for the armed groups to look at the type of changes the politicians were bringing about. He said that decommissioning was very much a matter for the paramilitaries and that they must then examine whether they could be involved in the process outlined in the Good Friday Agreement, namely voluntary decommissioning.

Following a meeting with the American Deputy National Security Advisor, James Steinberg, in Washington, the North's First Minister said that the peace process was more robust than people thought. He also said that the process would eventually work out. Mr. Trimble told reporters that he is not contemplating failure and is focused on trying to produce success during the current round of talks in Belfast.

Speaking to reporters in West Belfast this afternoon, Mr. McGuinness also said that he passionately hoped the good ambience and positive atmosphere during the Mitchell review in the past few weeks could continue and that they would achieve a breakthrough. They should not contemplate failure, as that would be an absolute disaster, he said. He also said that his party had tried to understand the concerns of Unionists, but that they could not be allowed to hold up the most critical stage of the peace process. He said that those fears could not be allowed to continue to act as a drag on the review process and the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. They did not have unlimited time to end the crisis in the peace process.

He said that this was the most critical phase of negotiations that they had collectively faced since the peace process took root. It must not fail, he said. Mr. McGuinness said that the imperative was for political leaders to lead, and urgently to remove the blockages that had done so much damage to confidence in the Good Friday Agreement.

In Washington, Mr. Trimble, held talks with the ad hoc committee for Irish Affairs in Washington later today. Mr. Trimble had already met President Clinton's advisers at the Whitehouse. For the second night in the row, top US officials were briefed on the latest developments, or lack of them, in the peace process. On Wednesday night, Senator George Mitchell met President Clinton in the private residence of the White House. Last night, the President was out of town, but one of his senior advisers, James Steinberg, greeted the Ulster Unionist leader.

White House officials have tried to impose something of a news blackout on these meetings, refusing to give any detail and discouraging public comment about the private discussions. However, David Trimble was happy to share with reporters a relatively upbeat forecast, saying that next or any week should not be seen as a make or break week for the peace process. When asked whether Bill Clinton could play a role when the parties resume dialogue next week, he said that he hoped the President would be able to encourage those unable to accept the need for change. Mr. Trimble is due to meet members of the US Congress later today. He returns to Belfast tomorrow.