Blair 'pandering to rejectionist unionists'

British Prime Minister Tony Blair may be intent on breaking his government’s peace process commitments, a senior Sinn Fein figure claimed today.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair may be intent on breaking his government’s peace process commitments, a senior Sinn Féin figure claimed today.

As his party prepared to meet in Belfast a commission set up to monitor paramilitary activity and the Good Friday Agreement, Sinn Féin chairman Mitchel McLaughlin accused the British Prime Minister of pandering to rejectionist unionists with his latest ultimatum to republicans.

The Foyle MLA hit out at Mr Blair for warning republicans yesterday that they could not return to a functioning power sharing executive while the IRA remained active.

While acknowledging Sinn Féin was committed to making the peace process work and had come a long way, he argued: “We can’t have a situation where people are expected to sit in government with political parties attached to active paramilitary organisations.

“That is precisely the reason why we have not had a functioning devolved government in Northern Ireland because we have not been satisfied about that.”

During a visit to Waterford, McLaughlin said the Prime Minister’s comments had confirmed his party’s fears that the British government was “intent on breaking its commitments”.

“The reality is that on October 21 last year the British government was party to an agreed sequence of events that would have seen a functioning executive quickly established,” he said.

“Sinn Féin, the British and Irish Governments and the Ulster Unionists had, after negotiations, agreed and exchanged in advance what were to be our respective public positions.

“Only Sinn Féin and the IRA upheld their parts of the agreed sequence. The positions agreed by others were then put on hold by the decision of Mr.Trimble.

“The UUP walked away from that agreement. Because of that the British are now asking more of republicans. This is blatant bad faith.

“It is quite evident that the British government has once again shifted the goal posts, and to the applause of rejectionist unionism.”

Mr McLaughlin said the behaviour of the British government seriously eroded “what little confidence and trust” there was in the process.

It had made resolving the current difficulties more difficult, he said.

“Mr Blair seeks to disingenuously place the onus for progress solely on unionists and republicans,” the Sinn Féin chairman continued.

“However hard he tries, he cannot absolve himself or his government from the current mess.

“It is British government strategy and its tactical approach to the implementation of the Agreement, which has encouraged rejectionist unionism.

“Whatever responsibilities rest with Sinn Féin and the unionists the primary responsibility at this time rests on the two governments but particularly the British government.

“It is intolerable that the British government has failed to fulfil their obligations. Progress is dependent on this.

“Confidence and trust is dependent on this.”

Republicans have been angry about the failure of London and Dublin to honour pledges on the scaling down of the British army presence, the return to Northern Ireland of paramilitaries who have been on-the-run since the Troubles, equality, human rights, the Irish language and participation by Northern Ireland politicians in the Irish Republic’s political institutions.

They have also been fiercely critical of the Independent Monitoring Commission which came into operation last week, arguing it is outside the terms of the Agreement.

Despite their opposition, a Sinn Féin delegation was due to tell the IMC at a meeting today why it would not work with them.

The IMC was also meeting the Reverend Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists today for the first time since it became Northern Ireland’s biggest party in the November Assembly Election.