McGuinness urges unionists to declare stance on Haass report

Unionist leaders must tell the public whether or not they back the outcome of the Haass peace issues talks, Martin McGuinness has said.

Stormont’s deputy First Minister challenged the Democratic Unionists and Ulster Unionists to clarify where they stand on the draft agreement proposed by former US diplomat Richard Haass on how to solve long-standing disputes on flags, parades, and dealing with the past.

After a six-month negotiation process involving all five Executive parties, Dr Haass ended a marathon talks session on Tuesday having failed to secure a settlement.

However, he insisted the document he produced provides the basis for future agreement, and has urged the parties to act where consensus exists.

Sinn Féin and the SDLP have endorsed the proposals, while the Alliance Party said it would support the proposal on the past, but raised issues about suggested resolutions on flags and parades.

While the leadership of the DUP and UUP are to consult their executives, neither has indicated if they will recommend the blueprint to members. Mr McGuinness said the time had come for unionists to show their hand.

“The Haass negotiations finished in the early hours of Tuesday morning,” he said. “They finished with a document that was put to all of the parties present.

“The various negotiating teams were asked whether or not they were prepared to recommend the text to their party executives for acceptance There is no ambiguity on where Sinn Féin stands. We have made it clear that despite reservations we were prepared to move forward and recommend acceptance.

“Our involvement in the peace process has, for almost two decades, been characterised by leadership and willingness to compromise. In that spirit our negotiations team recommended acceptance of the Haass approach.

“It is not unreasonable to ask both unionist party leaderships if they will berecommending acceptance of the Haass document to their party executives when and if they meet, rather than attempt to renegotiate the proposals.

“People deserve to know the answers to these simple questions. We are elected to sort out these matters and seek resolutions.

“Over six months’ work went into these proposals. The issues dealt with are not going away.”

At the end of the talks, Stormont First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson did not indicate if he would be asking his party to back the plan.

“I think it is right that parties should first discuss the working report internally within their own structures while encouraging constructive debate more widely,” he said.

On Monday, The Ulster Unionist executive will meet to discuss the report.