Call for British govt to find power sharing system

Some parties in Northern Ireland want the British government to take responsibility for coming up with a new system of power sharing, it was claimed today.

Progressive Unionist leader David Ervine said some parties in the Assembly were incapable of closing the peace process deal negotiated last week at Leeds Castle in Kent.

With parties deadlocked over changes to power sharing, the East Belfast loyalist Assembly member observed: “It seems there are parties who are determined not to deal with each other and would rather have the British government err on their side.

“Some parties are culturally incapable of closing the remaining gaps over the political institutions because they will not deal with each other.

“We are in a situation where the Prime Minister (Tony Blair) is being offered the prospect of the IRA finally going off the stage but there is a focus on the future of devolved government.

“I don’t think this deal is going to be unpicked but the question is how do you get people across the line?

“There are a number of ways I think it can be done without people dying in the ditch.”

Mr Ervine was commenting after talks broke up acrimoniously at Stormont last night.

Nationalists rejected DUP and cross-community Alliance Party demands for more ministerial accountability in a future power-sharing executive.

The SDLP and Sinn Féin resisted proposals which would have seen ministers in a power-sharing executive being able to challenge cabinet colleagues’ decisions.

They also rejected suggestions that Assembly members should have the means to overturn unpopular ministerial decisions, exercise more control over the Executive’s dealings with the Irish Government and change the system for voting First and Deputy First Ministers.

The failure to reach a deal on future power-sharing has also meant the breakthrough the governments secured on IRA disarmament and future paramilitary activity at last week’s Leeds Castle talks in Kent remains on hold.

British and Irish officials are currently considering coming up with their own proposals for resolving the row over ministerial accountability and North-South issues.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan accused some parties of trying to give the DUP cover on the election of power sharing ministers to prevent them having to vote for Sinn Féin’s representatives.

The Foyle MLA said: “There seems to be a couple of proposals floating about including ones about nominations being put in envelopes and being revealed later.

“I don’t know if Cilla Black is going to be the Speaker here unless we get the First and Deputy First Minister on some sort of blind date with people opening envelopes.”

DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson expressed disappointment with the SDLP’s approach to the talks.

The East Belfast MP said: “I might have suspicions that no small part of the rigidity that the SDLP has displayed is to make life more difficult for Sinn Féin.

“I think that the SDLP is still sore that it is on the slide electorally and it is finding it difficult to adjust to the new circumstances that it is one of the smaller parties now in Northern Ireland.

“Instead of recognising the realities that its role is somewhat diminished, I think it wants to simply make life more difficult for everybody.”

As Sinn Féin leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness met officials in London to review the state of the Leeds castle deal, the party’s Assembly Group leader Conor Murphy insisted the only way to move out of the current talks deadlock would be for the DUP to move away from its anti-Good Friday Agreement stance.

The Newry and Armagh MLA said: “Over the last week we have made progress across a range of issues.

“But what is clear is that a comprehensive agreement involving the DUP is only possible if they engage on a realistic basis and move away from their anti-Agreement position and in particular their attempt to undermine the all Ireland, power sharing and equality aspects of the agreement.

“If they are unwilling to do so there is an onus on the pro-Agreement parties and the two governments, particularly the British government to move on.

“We remain in detailed discussions with the two governments on a range of issues including policing and justice, human rights, equality and demilitarisation.”

Senior Ulster Unionist negotiator Michael McGimpsey warned again today that the fixation with power sharing structures in the negotiations was diverting attention away for a statement soon from the IRA on the issues of disarmament and disbandment.

The South Belfast Assembly member asked: “Where is the IRA statement?

“Is the war over? Is ‘melt away’ the same as disband?

“Everyone is so fixated by the paper chase and political geekery up at Stormont that pressure on republicans is being forgotten about.

“The real focus, the real reason behind the deadlock, is the failure of republicans to live up to their obligations and failure to live up to their obligations and engage in acts of completion.”

Mr McGimpsey said a statement from the IRA soon was crucial.

Otherwise, parties were negotiating in a vacuum, he claimed.