Ahern and Blair in final push for peace

Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair will today meet Sinn Féin leaders as they both engage in one more push to bring power sharing back to Stormont.

Talks to revive devolution have stalled on demands for photographic evidence of IRA disarmament.

But as Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness prepared to meet Mr Ahern in Dublin and then Mr Blair in Downing Street, they were told by a senior DUP negotiator republicans could not back away from the requirement for visible decommissioning.

Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson told PA: “We would expect the two governments to hold to the proposals they put before the public last week and that means photographs of decommissioning.

“If they start unravelling this now, then everything in the deal with start to unravel.

“Clearly there is support for transparent decommissioning as opinion poll after opinion poll is showing and it is important the governments do not let republicans back away from this issue.

“I also welcome comments by the Irish Prime Minister that there is a need for more clarity from the IRA on ending criminality and paramilitary activity.

“For us decommissioning remains a crucial test of the IRA’s commitment to this and it is important that it is seen and not just heard.”

The Moderator of Ireland’s Presbyterian Church, the Rev Ken Newell, said yesterday while he believed photographs of IRA disarmament were desirable, they were not essential.

He suggested four witnesses to decommissioning could be appointed as a compromise, including a Protestant minister who had lost someone to IRA violence.

But Mr Donaldson insisted today this idea would not work without photographs.

The Democratic Unionist MP said it was also not clear from the IRA’s most recent statement whether it would end all paramilitary activity.

“We need to hear from the IRA clearly that they will not engage in the type of activity spelt out in paragraph 13 of the joint declaration from the British and Irish Governments last year.

“That means ending training, recruiting, the planning of operations, importing weapons and intelligence gathering.”

The leader of Northern Ireland’s cross community Alliance Party David Ford has also called for more clarity from the IRA about its future plans.

And in a radio interview in the Irish Republic, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern also said: “We have to get absolute certainty and clarity that we’re not just talking about paramilitary activity.

“We’re talking about robberies and fraud and petrol and drink (smuggling) and all the other things that are there, everybody knows what they are.”

Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness said yesterday his party was prepared to listen to any contribution about how the latest dispute over decommissioning could be resolved.

However, he insisted the DUP’s demand for photographs of events before, during and after disarmament were undeliverable.

“I am not so sure the issue of a photograph is about humiliation,” the Mid Ulster MP said.

“I think it is more about Ian Paisley desiring a trophy signifying him achieving a major victory, not just over the IRA, but (Ulster Unionist leader) David Trimble.

“Now in my view the governments made a mistake at an early stage of the talks not to disabuse him of this, but in my clear view, what Ian Paisley is demanding in relation to a photo is totally undeliverable.”

The British and Irish Governments are believed to be planning more talks with the Northern Ireland parties, probably on Wednesday.

Both Blair and Ahern are also expected to review progress at a meeting.