Ahern to meet nationalists over peace process

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is due to meet the nationalist SDLP in Dublin today to discuss the future direction of the Northern Ireland peace process.

The meeting with SDLP leader Mark Durkan was taking place following the release of IRA statements revealing what it was prepared to do in April to secure the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

The IRA last night confirmed that it was prepared to undertake a substantial act of disarmament and it also claimed the full implementation of the Agreement would have created a context in which arms could be definitively set aside.

However the organisation added that its April 13 statement had been overtaken by recent events in the peace process which culminated last Thursday in the British government’s decision to pull plans for an Assembly election on May 29.

Mr Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday insisted that the current deadlock in the Northern Ireland peace process could still be overcome if the IRA made a clearer statement on its willingness to end all paramilitary activity.

Both leaders vowed to press ahead with the implementation of those aspects of the Good Friday Agreement that were not contingent on acts of completion by the IRA.

These included the dismantling of two army watchtowers in Cloghoge and Tievecrum in South Armagh, policing and Criminal Justice Reform, equality and Irish and Ulster Scots language rights.

Mr Blair insisted yesterday in Dublin: “We have made a fantastic amount of progress and in the end it depends on the will of the parties. Do they really want to move things forward or not?

“The only basis on which that can happen is the complete end to paramilitary activity in circumstances where one of the political parties wants to be in government and is likely to be in government and is still connected with a paramilitary organisation.

“I don’t think it is a very complicated situation. What happened was that in a swirl of an election campaign it was impossible to get this bolted down in a satisfactory way but we have got to carry on doing it.

“It’s not going to change. If we come back to it in days, or weeks, or months it is still going to be the same issue.”

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams and chief negotiator Martin McGuinness are also due in London today to meet the families of the victims of Bloody Sunday and to hold a press conference.

Both Sinn Fein MPs were expected to express republican frustration at the Government’s decision to withhold implementation of part of the Good Friday Agreement and at the postponement of Assembly elections.