McGuinness says crisis could destroy peace process

There is a crisis of confidence in the republican movement which could destroy the Good Friday Agreement, it was claimed tonight.

But Sinn Féin chief negotiator Martin McGuinness told his party’s Ard Fheis that his party would not allow the Republican movement to be demonised or caught in a downward spiral that led to a return to violence.

Speaking during the opening address, Mr McGuinness said the January 30 murder of Robert McCartney was a grievous crime that involved a small number of IRA volunteers.

He said: “But the lessons of the last few weeks go wider than that – and painful as it is, we republicans have to face the reality that there is a crisis of confidence that could destroy the Good Friday Agreement.

“I am not prepared to let our struggle be demonised, or to be caught in a downward spiral that leads inexorably to a return to violence.

“Instead publicans are determined to find a way however difficult and challenging, to put all conflict and violence behind us for good.

“We want to see all weapons put beyond use, to prevent criminality, to participate in policing on the right terms, and to pursue a purely political, peaceful and democratic path to the Irish unification that every one of us wants to see.”