Society cannot be held to ransom - Trimble

The British and Irish governments were right to withhold their blueprint for the Northern Ireland peace process as republicans refused to face up to their responsibilities, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble claimed today.

The Upper Bann MP said the peace process could not be “held to ransom” by Sinn Fein and the IRA.

“Our position with regard to republicans was clear from the outset,” the former Northern Ireland First Minister said.

“They had to forswear violence, to wind up their paramilitary wing and to proceed to completion with the process of disarmament.

“We told them that they had to be genuine about ‘acts of completion’.

“Yesterday, in the House of Commons, I warned the Secretary of State about releasing a paper unless they were sure of an adequate response from republicans. Clearly, my concerns were well founded, as events today bear out.”

Mr Trimble noted Sinn Fein had questioned his party’s commitment to work the institutions, had expressed their unhappiness with the proposed sanctions and the timeframe for the devolution of policing and justice.

He insisted, however, this was a “smokescreen designed to conceal the fact that they have not been able to deliver.

“Society cannot be held to ransom because republicans cannot deliver on their commitments. The failure is the failure of republicans to implement the Belfast Agreement.

“The government is considering what to do next, and I would urge ministers to think very carefully what will now have to be done to show that the Assembly will be able to function after the elections.”