Adams meets Blair on peace process

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams was today flying to London for talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The West Belfast MP, who yesterday repeated his party’s opposition to a British government proposal for a mechanism for monitoring paramilitary violence, was expected to raise concerns about the state of the peace process.

Just days before Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble’s Ulster Unionists were due to hold a crucial meeting of their ruling council to re-consider their policy of power sharing with Sinn Fein, Mr Adams was expected to accuse the Blair government of pandering to UUP demands.

Republicans have described the idea of a paramilitary violence monitor as a concession to Unionists in the run-up to Saturday’s crucial meeting and have also condemned a British government announcement that close circuit cameras will be erected along the Short Strand peaceline in East Belfast as another concession.

Sinn Fein has argued that moves to appease Mr Trimble are undermining the Good Friday Agreement.

Sinn Fein is also expected to discuss policing at its meeting as the UK government prepares to put legislation before the House of Commons in its next session in return for the nationalist SDLP’s decision last year to join the Northern Ireland Policing Board and its support for the new police service.

Sinn Fein has criticised Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan’s moderate nationalist party for signing up to the new policing structures, claiming the reforms still fall short of what was expected by their community.

The Sinn Fein delegation was also due to discuss the street violence which dogged sectarian flashpoint areas of Belfast for much of the summer.