DUP could walk away, warns Paisley

The Democratic Unionists will walk away from a deal to revive power sharing if it falls short of what unionists need, Ian Paisley has warned his party.

As Northern Ireland’s talks to revive power sharing remained delicately balanced, the DUP leader told colleagues at a dinner last night in North Antrim if the deal was to work it must include the transparent destruction of IRA weapons.

The North Antrim MP said: “I will not be bounced into any quick deal that is wrong. I am willing to consider urgently the right deal at the right time.

“I would like to be in a position to say yes but if it is not a fair deal, I will be rejecting it in your name (the DUP) and in the name of the people of Northern Ireland.”

Sinn Féin and the DUP are the only parties to have seen proposals from the British and Irish Governments for resurrecting the Assembly and ridding politics in the North of all weapons.

It is believed both parties will have until Tuesday to seal a deal, with Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern considering publishing their blueprint in the event of no agreement.

Northern Ireland’s Assembly was suspended in October 2002 when unionists threatened to collapse the power sharing executive over IRA activity.

Since then, the North has been ruled by ministers from Westminster and there have been two failed attempts to revive devolution involving Sinn Féin and David Trimble’s Ulster Unionists.

Last year, the DUP overtook the Ulster Unionists as the largest party in their community and in the Northern Ireland Assembly during Stormont elections.

The party has insisted it will only share power with Sinn Féin if it puts all its weapons beyond use and becomes, in Mr Paisley’s words, an old boy’s association, ending all paramilitary and criminal activity.

Talks sources believe the DUP and Sinn Féin are agonisingly close to a deal.

However the DUP feels an IRA agreement to photographic evidence of future disarmament is crucial to them signing up to a deal.

Sinn Féin negotiators insist the DUP needs to make it clear to them that they are willing to share power with republicans and will operate the political institutions at Stormont in good faith.

US President George W Bush telephoned the DUP on Friday and is expected to contact Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.

Mr Paisley and his negotiating team have also lined up a meeting with the head of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, General John de Chastelain who has witnessed three acts of IRA disarmament so far.