Paisley sticks to call for complete end to IRA

The Democratic Unionists will stick to their demand that the IRA winds down if Sinn Féin is to take part in a power-sharing executive, the Rev Ian Paisley insisted tonight.

As Northern Ireland parties prepared for the resumption of the review of the Good Friday Agreement next week, the DUP leader called on other parties to focus on the task of restoring democratic devolution.

However, the North Antrim MP said: “We have had a number of meetings with the Government and they are well aware that the DUP is demanding a complete end of the IRA.

“Unlike (Ulster Unionist leader) David Trimble we will not tolerate the placing of terrorists at the heart of the Government.”

Devolution was suspended in Northern Ireland by the Government in October 2002 amid unionist concerns about IRA activity.

Since then, republicans have faced demands for an end to all paramilitary activity by the IRA.

Two attempts last year to revive the Stormont Assembly and the powersharing executive by the British and Irish Governments, Sinn Féin and the Ulster Unionists stumbled over continued concerns about IRA intentions towards the peace process.

However, the political landscape changed last November when the Reverend Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists overtook Mr Trimble’s Ulster Unionists to become Northern Ireland’s largest party in the assembly election.

The DUP has produced three models for restoring devolution including the concept of a voluntary coalition.

However, it has insisted that if the party was ever to share power with Sinn Féin, republicans must break the link with paramilitarism for good and totally disarm.

As Northern Ireland’s politicians waited for the results of the European elections, Mr Paisley confirmed his party intended to meet General John de Chastelain, the head of the independent International disarmament body, to see if there was the prospect of any progress on paramilitary weapons decommissioning.

The DUP leader continued: “My party intends to work with the Government and the other democratic parties to ensure we get proper democratic structures in Northern Ireland.”

Mr Paisley also attacked the Ulster unionists, accusing them of running away from efforts to achieve a fairer political settlement.

In a continuation of the war of words with senior Ulster Unionist figures, the North Antrim MP said: “Unlike the UUP, the DUP has not run away from working towards achieving a fair deal.

“We want to see a deal that delivers stable, accountable, effective and efficient government.

“Once again hypocrisy of the Ulster Unionist Party has been in evidence. That party would be wise to refrain from lecturing the DUP.

“We have not and will not be negotiating with terrorists. Indeed only last year the Ulster Unionist Party agreed a secret deal with Sinn Féin/IRA, the details of which are still unknown to the people of Northern Ireland, to put republicans back into government.”

British and Irish government sources believe Northern Ireland’s politicians will have two weeks from next Tuesday to explore whether a deal to restore devolution soon is possible.

However, Stormont sources were dampening down speculation that dramatic progress could be made, prompting a visit to Northern Ireland by British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to chair talks.

Irish Government officials were reported to be only keen on approving a visit by Mr Ahern if there was the real prospect of political progress.

Early this week Prime Minister Tony Blair’s chief of staff Jonathan Powell was in Stormont for meetings with Sinn Féin and the Ulster Unionists.

British government sources insisted that that was a continuation of dialogue between London and Dublin and all the Assembly parties.