Seamus Mallon warns on difficulties ahead for agreement

The deputy leader of the SDLP, Seamus Mallon, has warned that the most difficult part in the review of the Good Friday Agreement's implementation is still ahead. Interviewed for television Mr Mallon said there were hurdles yet to be jumped and he appealed to unionists and republicans not to fail in efforts to reach agreement.

Earlier, the Northern Secretary, Peter Mandelson, has urged Northern politicians to move the peace process forward and said only those who are opposed to peace will condemn the process before it is completed. Mr. Mandelson was speaking after George Mitchell made his first formal statement since he began his review of the Good Friday Agreement. Mr. Mitchell said the pro-agreement parties now understood each others concerns and were committed to making a breakthrough. The former American Senator said he was confident they were close to overcoming the obstacles to decommissioning and added that the parties will make known their positions tomorrow.

The head of the decommissioning body, General de Chastelain, has called on all paramilitary organisations, including the IRA, to appoint authorised representatives so that the process of decommissioning can be completed by the May 2000 deadline set out in the Good Friday Agreement. The General has given his assessment to Senator Mitchell and all the political parties. He said urgent progress was now needed in order to achieve paramilitary disarmament in the allotted timescale.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has said that he is very encouraged by Mr Mitchell's comments. The Ulster Unionist Party has also welcomed his statement and that Sinn Féin President, Gerry Adams, said that Mr Mitchell's positive assessment of the review was clear evidence of progress. The SDLP leader, John Hume, said that the statement fuels hope that the full implementation of the Agreement can soon be realised.

The Deputy Foreign Minister, Liz O' Donnell, said that the statement made at Stormont this afternoon represents a solid step forward. The Minister added that "The government fully supports the de Chastelain call for the paramilitaries to appoint authorised representatives as quickly as possible." She went to say, "We hope all the parties will join in this. I anticipate that the painstaking efforts of Senator Mitchell and the parties will bear fruit over the coming weeks."

Mr Mitchell held separate meetings with the Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, and with a Sinn Féin delegation, led by the party president, Gerry Adams, this morning. Mr Mitchell is expected to meet other pro-Agreement parties during the day. The Northern Secretary, Peter Mandelson, is also at Castle Buildings. It is understood that an executive at Stormont could be formed next month, if the current proposals are approved by all the pro-Agreement parties.

With the review entering its final stage, Sinn Féin has indicated that enough has been negotiated for its offer on decommissioning to be accepted. However, the Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson said that the party's leadership would face a backlash if it accepts what is on the table. The British Prime Minister has described the talks as critical. He said that this was an opportunity for Northern Ireland to gain the peace that people living in the rest of the United Kingdom take for granted.

Sinn Fein negotiator, Alex Maskey, said that weekend media speculation about IRA decommissioning had been very unhelpful and was untrue. Speaking to reporters at Castle Buildings, he said that Sinn Féin were not in any position to negotiate on behalf of the IRA. He said that they wanted to take all the guns out of Irish politics and this would only be achieved by making politics work. He reaffirmed his party's commitment to fulfilling all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement, but was unwilling to comment on what was being discussed in the talks.

However, some Ulster Unionists are still insisting on the need for IRA decommissioning to begin first. Tony Blair urged the politicians to make every effort to reach agreement. Reports of a possible deal circulated yesterday, which would provide for the establishment of an Executive and cross-border bodies before Christmas, followed by an IRA move on decommissioning in January, to be completed within four months.

The Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble may be looking for stronger guarantees on IRA decommissioning before putting the deal to his party's ruling Council at the end of the month. Some of his colleagues still want more certainty about the IRA's intentions before they are prepared to agree any move on an Executive. The Ulster Unionist security spokesman, Ken Maginnis, said last night that his party could guarantee a fully inclusive government if a deal was reached with Sinn Féin.

Mr Trimble's deputy John Taylor said that the IRA had to say they were going to decommission, or else the British government should be putting forward an alternative, if the paramilitaries do not hand over guns and the Executive collapses. He added that he had no interest whatsoever in challenging for the leadership of the party should Mr Trimble agree to a deal that he could not support. However, the coming fortnight will see the debate hotting up both within the UUP and outside.