Paisley issues peace process challenge

Pro-Good Friday Agreement Ulster Unionists were today challenged to point to any benefits for their supporters in the British and Irish Governments’ blueprint for the peace process.

As UUP officers gathered in Belfast to consider a bid by the anti-Agreement wing of the party to reconvene their ruling council to debate the Joint Declaration, the Rev Ian Paisley accused his rivals of negotiating away “a further raft of concessions” to republicans and nationalists.

Noting former Stormont minister Dermot Nesbitt had said in a television debate there were “benefits” in the plan, the Democratic Unionist leader argued: “The Joint Declaration is a blueprint for the advancement of terrorism in Northern Ireland.

“It is designed to ensure that all the demands made by Sinn Fein/IRA are met in full.

“Five years since the signing of the Belfast Agreement, and despite the fact that Sinn Fein/IRA remains absolutely wedded to the path of terror, the Ulster Unionist Party has negotiated away a further raft of concessions in the vain hope of breathing new life into the failed accord.

“David Trimble and his cohorts are now attempting to convince unionists that there are benefits for the unionist community to be found within this Joint Declaration.

“I challenge these Ulster Unionist negotiators to tell us what these benefits are.”

Earlier this month, the British and Irish Governments released the Joint Declaration despite British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s decision to cancel Assembly elections scheduled to take place yesterday.

With the IRA refusing to confirm an end to all paramilitary activity, Mr Blair argued the poll would be pointless because the UUP would not go back into government with Sinn Fein without a declaration.

Both governments, however, jointly released their blueprint which contained pledges on the scaling down of the Army presence in Northern Ireland, policing and justice reform, equality, human rights, support for the Irish and Ulster Scots languages, a sanctions body for parties who contravene the Agreement, and a scheme which would enable so-called on-the-run paramilitaries to return to the province.

Hardline unionists have been outraged by the proposals on demilitarisation, the scheme for on-the-run paramilitaries and an Irish Government nominee on the sanctions body.

Their fury has been fuelled by a leaked memorandum from the General Officer Commanding to Army chiefs that the Royal Irish Regiment’s home battalions could be disbanded.

Army chiefs have since pulled back, insisting the 3,000 soldiers attached to the battalions in Omagh, Armagh City and Holywood, Co Down, will only go when the paramilitary threat in the North disappears.

UUP hardliners are expected to secure at today’s gathering of party officers agreement on a meeting of the ruling council.

It is understood the council could convene in Belfast on June 14 or 21.

Mr Paisley said today the reality was the Joint Declaration would result in security being “slashed, on-the-run terrorists will be free to return to Northern Ireland without the fear of punishment for their deeds, policing and justice will be devolved into the hands of Sinn Fein/IRA.”

The North Antrim MP also claimed: “The so-called sanctions mechanism will be as useless as previous attempts to remove Sinn Fein/IRA ministers from office.

“David Trimble, Reg Empey, Michael McGimpsey and Dermot Nesbitt have spent months helping to craft this outcome for unionism.

“It is little wonder these men worked to persuade the Prime Minister that elections should be cancelled.

“Now many of their own party members have caught on to the fact that their only achievement in round after round of talks has been to hand Sinn Fein/IRA all that they have asked for on a plate.”