Diplomatic intervention for Northern D-Day

THE countdown to what should have been the North’s devolution day has seen frantic diplomatic activity from Belfast to Berlin, via Downing Street.

The Taoiseach and Tony Blair broke-off from celebrations marking the EU’s fiftieth birthday in the German capital last night to try and salvage a last minute deal from a process which had come dangerously close to unravelling in the previous 48 hours.

Mr Blair had already held prolonged telephone conversations with DUP leader Ian Paisley from London and Berlin following on from their two “tough” encounters at No.10 last week.

Both circled each other at the showdowns, probing for signs of flexibility as time ticked down to the deadline date.

Mr Blair insisted that this time, the two Governments really meant what they said and only a power sharing move by the DUP would do. Dr Paisley was keen to make it clear he was prepared to lead his party into an administration with Sinn Féin, but needed to hold the DUP together as he did so.

A five-hour meeting of the DUP executive on Saturday afternoon delivered 90% backing for power-sharing, but not until May. The twist triggered a scramble to keep the devolution train from derailing.

Northern Secretary Peter Hain talked up the more positive element of the DUP statement — that they would deal with SF — as “historic” as he ratcheted-up the pressure on Dr Paisley to concede more ground by signing the order restoring power to the Stormont assembly.

“It’s never happened before, it’s of huge historic significance,” Mr Hain said of the DUP move.

Sinn Féin made it clear Dr Paisley would have to deal with them directly if any messy compromise over dates was to emerge.

Back channel dealings between the two parties via the London and Dublin Governments could pave the way for a meeting between the leaders of Republicanism and hardline unionism at Stormont today (MON).

In a rare show of encouragement, the DUP said it was willing to bridge the gap between the official devolution deadline today and May by taking part in “departmental pre-briefings and finalising a programme for government”. Not enough to satisfy SF president Gerry Adams, but further than they had gone before.

Mr Adams insisted that if the DUP defaulted on the democratic demand for devolution: “the two governments must now proceed to put in place their all-Ireland partnership arrangements.”

UUP leader Sir Reg Empey used the agonising within arch rivals the DUP to twist the knife. “Throughout the election campaign the DUP said its approach to devolution was condition led not calendar led. Now the DUP says it will share power with Sinn Féin on a specific date in May. What difference does six weeks make?” he asked.

No ministers will be nominated today, but an historic formal meeting between Dr Paisley and Mr Adams at Stormont would mean full speed ahead to May.