Adams rejects 'deal is close' claims

Republicans will not allow the British Government to resolve outstanding issues in the peace process on its own or unionist terms, said Gerry Adams.

The Sinn Fein president accused the British Government of dealing in Humpty Dumpty politics.

He rejected Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid's assertion that a deal to resolve decommissioning, policing and demilitarisation is tantalisingly close.

"If the British are saying that a deal is within reach, does that mean they are going to pull troops out of South Armagh, Tyrone, West Belfast and North Belfast?" he said.

"I hear also the patronising tone that the institutions have been stood down for only one day and now it's OK again. Well it's not OK again.

"It isn't OK to have all Ireland structures stood down, it isn't OK that Sinn Fein ministers haven't been accorded their rights and entitlement to do the job they were elected for.

"It isn't OK that the British Government are trying to hold on to plastic bullets and trying to force a democratically accountable police service."

Mr Adams was speaking at a rally to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the hunger strikes in the H-blocks.