Ahern to Paisley: I'm sorry

BERTIE AHERN last night personally apologised to DUP leader Ian Paisley over an extraordinary gaffe suggesting he no longer thought the Government's position on decommissioning was "workable".

In an unprecedented move, the Taoiseach telephoned the DUP leader shortly after 5pm to explain that the sentiments he expressed yesterday morning did not represent his own position, but were a reflection of the views expressed to him by the Sinn Féin leadership. Mr Ahern, after the meeting with SF in St Luke's yesterday morning, said: "We tried the issue of photographs. That is not workable. We have to try and find another way." However, the Government spokeswoman said last night that Mr Ahern had left one sentence out of the comments: that these were the views of Sinn Féin and not of the Irish Government.

The Taoiseach's apology helped diffuse a rapidly developing crisis that, at one stage, seemed to have scuppered any hope of an early breakthrough.

In an incandescent response, the DUP accused Mr Ahern of double-crossing the party and of betraying the joint proposals which it had presented publicly only last week.

"He broke the agreement," said an angry Mr Paisley. "We have broken off all connections with the southern Government in talks. As far as we are concerned, Mr Ahern is a man that can't be trusted."

However, in an extraordinary turnaround late in the afternoon, Mr Ahern had a nine-minute conversation with Mr Paisley to mollify his concerns. Mr Ahern reassured the DUP leader that he and the Irish Government had not abandoned the proposals as outlined last week. In the wake of the conversation, the DUP leader agreed to withdraw his threat to break off contact with the Government.

A key commitment expected by both governments was the act of IRA decommissioning would be photographed. The Government spokeswoman said Mr Ahern had placated Mr Paisley's fear that the Irish Government had unilaterally withdrawn from that position. Once Mr Ahern had clarified the position, the conversation was amicable.

However, it seems that Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams yesterday took the Taoiseach's comments at face value. After a subsequent meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Mr Adams said "the photographs are dead and gone and buried in Ballymena.

"I don't think there is any possibility of resurrecting that issue."

Mr Ahern was obviously deeply embarrassed by the faux pas in a week in which he had made most of the running on trying to find an early resolution to the impasse. But while the immediate crisis over his comments was dissipated following his phone call to Dr Paisley, the DUP and Sinn Féin seem to have become entrenched on this outstanding issue.

In the wake of his meeting with Sinn Fein yesterday, Mr Ahern reiterated his view that the parties were near an agreement. "It's an act of insanity not to get to the endgame," he said.

9am

Bertie Ahern: "We tried the issue of photographs. That is not workable. We have to try and find another way."

Early afternoon

Ian Paisley: "We have broken off all connections with the Southern Government in talks.

"As far as we are concerned, Mr Ahern is a man that can't be trusted."

5.05pm

Mr Ahern phones Mr Paisley to apologise. Clarifies that sentiments did not represent his own position, but were a reflection of the views expressed to him by the Sinn Féin leadership. Says he omitted sentence attributing views to SF.