'Quicken pace to democracy' republicans warned

Irish republicans must quicken the pace of the transformation from violence to peace and democracy if there is to be any hope of a power sharing government at Stormont by November, they were warned tonight.

Democratic Unionist deputy leader Peter Robinson told the Council on Foreign Relations in New York he believed the leadership of the Republican Movement had the power and capacity to speed up the process of change.

But he also warned in his speech that if it emerged the Provisional IRA was responsible for the murder yesterday of former Sinn Féin official turned British spy Denis Donaldson, it would have a serious impact on efforts to set up a Stormont executive.

“Most unionists will say – given the length of time it has taken to get republicans to where they are today – that they will not have reached the stage of completion by ending paramilitary and criminal activity and convincing the community of its permanence by the date of November 24 which the (British) government has set as a deadline for setting up an executive,” the East Belfast MP argued.

“I feel they are right. If republicans maintain the present rate of change they will miss that deadline.

“But I believe the leadership of the Republican Movement has the power and capacity, if it chooses to exercise it, to increase the pace of its transition.

“The question is: will they apply their authority?”

With Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern prepared to unveil their roadmap in Armagh tomorrow for reviving devolved government by November 24, Mr Robinson insisted his party would not be under pressure.

Rather it was Republicans, he argued, who would be under pressure to meet the democratic standards demanded by the DUP by the deadline.

“Back in December 2004, instead of using the time to democratise, they engaged in robbing the Northern Bank and other illegal activity,” the former Stormont Regional Development Minister said.

“What will they do with this opportunity? Are they up for it?

“What is sure is that Sinn Féin will not meet the government’s deadline if they continue whinging about the two governments following a DUP agenda or attacking the Independent Monitoring Commission because they report on IRA misbehaviour.

“Sinn Féin will not do what is necessary if it remains in denial.”

In a specific reference to Mr Donaldson’s murder, the DUP deputy leader continued: “What is clear is that if the responsibility for the murder of Denis Donaldson falls on the IRA, it would have serious implications for the Government’s proposals.

“It need not impact upon the setting up of an Assembly but it would impact on the setting up of an executive.”