Sinn Féin in call to world leaders

A Sinn Féin MP tonight vowed to use his visit to a forum of world leaders next week to urge the British and Irish governments to implement the Good Friday Agreement.

Martin McGuinness, who is due to take part in a World Economic Forum session on the Northern Ireland peace process in Switzerland in eight days time, said he would tell the gathering of world leaders and opinion formers that London and Dublin must not allow hard-line unionists to frustrate the implementation of the 1998 Agreement.

The Mid Ulster MP said: “It is a measure of the international interest in the Irish peace process that there is a dedicated session on our ongoing efforts to finally resolve the causes of conflict in Ireland.

“This is particularly important at this time, as it will give key world leaders the opportunity to hear, at first hand, the history of our peace process but also the difficulties we face now.

“It will, I have no doubt, add to the pressure on the two governments and, in particular, the British government to move urgently to resolve the political crisis.

“I will reiterate my firm view that the two governments must not be paralysed by negative unionism and that they must fulfil their commitments under the terms of the Agreement.

“An anti-Agreement minority cannot be allowed to override the wishes of the vast majority of the people of Ireland.”

Northern Ireland’s politicians are preparing for a review of the Good Friday Agreement, which was expected to get under way under the joint chairmanship of the British and Irish governments on January 29.

However, Stormont sources told PA News tonight the start date may slip into next month, possibly February 3.

Parties will be asked what improvements could be made to the operation of the Agreement.

Sinn Féin and the nationalist SDLP have insisted the accord will not be renegotiated.

However, the Reverend Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists, who emerged the largest party in Northern Ireland after November’s Assembly Elections, are hoping to radically alter substantial parts of the Agreement.

The DUP and cross community Alliance Party are calling for changes to the way devolved governments are formed in Northern Ireland and the size of the Assembly.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble insisted today the “problem of paramilitary activity” should be the main item on the review’s agenda.

During Northern Ireland Questions in the House of Commons today, he said: “The resolution of the crisis is the primary problem we face and any review should focus on that issue.”

Last week, a commission to monitor paramilitary activity and the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement formally came into operation.

The four member Independent Monitoring Commission, which is made up of political and intelligence experts, was criticised by Sinn Fein for being outside the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams is expected to outline, in a keynote address in north Belfast tomorrow, republican thoughts on the review, their approach to the DUP and the direction of the peace process.

Mr Adams recently called for a “short, sharp, focussed” review lasting only one month.

As he prepared for the World Economic Forum’s session on Northern Ireland in Davos next week, Mr McGuinness said the British and Irish Governments needed to realise “democratic and human rights are not conditional.”

The former Stormont Education Minister continued: “The British government should immediately lift their unilateral suspension of the political institutions and proceed with the equality, human rights and demilitarisation agendas without further delay.”