The Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, has said that his party is deeply disappointed at the reported decision by Ulster Unionist Assembly members to reject proposals to end the deadlock in the peace process. However, Ulster Unionist sources are this evening disputing reports that the motion was defeated in a vote. The party says a vote took place, but that it would not release details of the result. Mr Adams, said in a statement that he had been hoped the review would be successfully concluded by now. He added that Sinn Fein would be back at Stormont in the morning.
Earlier reports indicated that the Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, had narrowly lost a vote among his part colleagues who are members of the Northern Assembly on the terms on offer to break the deadlock over decommissioning. The vote was thought to have been 14-13 against the proposals as they stand. The Assembly members were reported to have asked Mr Trimble to seek more clarification. However, meetings were still continuing
The assembly members were also addressed by the Northern Secretary, Peter Mandelson this evening, who asked politicians to listen to the ‘cry of the people’. It is being speculated that David Trimble will call a meeting of the Ruling Council of the Ulster Unionist Party for which seven days prior notice is required.
The Ulster Unionist Party has said that important matters need to be clarified and settled on the compromise solution for arms decommissioning. The party is continuing its examination of the proposal that an IRA statement, followed by the appointment of a go-between to the Decommissioning Body, could clear the way to setting up a Northern executive and cross-border bodies. However, Assembly member Jeffrey Donaldson says that, without decommissioning, there can be no deal.
The offer by Republicans falls short of actual IRA decommissioning, but includes a statement aimed at reassuring Unionists that the guns will remain silent and an IRA offer to appoint an intermediary to John De Chastelain's arms body.
David Trimble is expected to have problems selling the offer to his party. However, he will argue that the appointment of a go-between means the start of the decommissioning process and the creation of a momentum that will eventually lead to action on weapons. That, however, means abandoning the "guns before government" stance, a move that's sure to galvanise his party critics.
