Democratic unionist leaders to meet de Chastelain

Democratic Unionist leaders are to meet the head of the North’s independent disarmament body before saying whether they will accept or reject plans to revive power- sharing, the party confirmed today.

Following a meeting of its 80-member executive in Belfast last night, the DUP said it would analyse throughout the course of this weekend the latest Irish and British Government proposals to achieve total IRA disarmament and resurrect the Assembly.

But they also confirmed a meeting would take place on Monday between their leadership and General John de Chastelain, the head of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.

A party spokesman confirmed: “DUP leader Dr Paisley MP MLA, and Deputy Leader Mr Peter Robinson MP MLA, briefed members on the progress made thus far within the talks process.

“He outlined the way forward, the obstacles still to be negotiated and the goal of achieving a fair deal for the people of Northern Ireland.

“The Executive unanimously endorsed the way forward put to them and offered their continued support to the leader and his negotiating team in the coming days.

“The party will continue a detailed analysis on the textual changes in the proposals and scrutinise the responses to the clarification the party sought.

“The party will engage in a series of meetings next week arising from consideration of the government proposals including a meeting with the IICD on Monday morning.”

Efforts to revive devolution have reached a critical phase, with Sinn Féin and the DUP looking at the latest responses from Dublin and London to queries about the proposals.

The DUP insists the way the IRA conducts future disarmament acts will be critical to any deal.

They want republicans to agree to more visible weapons decommissioning, with photographic evidence.

The party would also like to see a statement indicating the IRA will abandon paramilitary and criminal activity and become, as the Rev Paisley suggested, “an old boy’s association”.

Gerry Adams yesterday said his party was still waiting for a signal from the DUP that it is willing to share power with Sinn Féin.

US President George W Bush phoned the Rev Paisley yesterday offering his help and is expected to contact Gerry Adams during the weekend in a bid to encourage both sides to seal the deal.

President Bush said on his ranch in Crawford, Texas he was trying to encourage both sides to get “to get a deal done to close the agreement they’ve been working on for quite a while”.

He vowed to do “anything I can do to keep the process moving forward”.

Mr Adams also met former South African President Nelson Mandela in London yesterday.