Hain sets agenda for devolution talks

Northern Secretary Peter Hain tonight set out the discussion areas for the North's politicians at crucial talks to restore devolution next week.

In a letter to party leaders, Mr Hain identified two key areas for agreement next week in St Andrew’s, Scotland – support for policing and the rule of law, and changes to the North’s political institutions.

His letter told party leaders: “The talks in Scotland provide a real opportunity to work together to clear away remaining differences and doubts in these areas and for all parties to demonstrate their support for restoring the institutions.

“Both governments are committed to working with you to achieve that aim.”

Hopes of a breakthrough at next week’s talks have risen following the publication yesterday of the Independent Monitoring Commission’s report, which said the IRA had moved away significantly from terrorism and was pursuing a political path.

The North’s largest party, Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists (DUP), have insisted that if they are to contemplate resurrecting a power-sharing government involving Sinn Féin, they must be convinced that the Provisionals have given up paramilitarism and criminality for good.

The IMC’s report yesterday was seen as boosting the prospects of the DUP eventually sharing power with Sinn Féin, although Mr Paisley indicated there were still some concerns about what the report had to say about individual IRA members’ involvement in crime.

Irish and British government officials are hoping that the DUP will be able to give some signal next week that power sharing will take place.

But they are also looking to Sinn Féin to end its policy of refusing to endorse the Police Service of Northern Ireland and recognising it as the legitimate force of law and order.

Mr Paisley’s party have indicated that if Sinn Féin is to be a credible partner in government in the North, Gerry Adams’s party must change its policing policy.

DUP negotiators are also pressing for changes to the political institutions and for a financial package for a future power-sharing executive if there is a deal.

Mr Hain’s draft legislative changes quickly came under fire from SDLP leader Mark Durkan who was angry that a proposal in the 2004 talks that potential ministers must endorse every cabinet nomination or face exclusion from office was back on the agenda.

The Foyle MP said: “This threatens the SDLP and other democratic parties with a new form of automatic exclusion from government, not for doing anything wrong but simply for exercising a democratic right (not to vote for other ministers).

“This is something that we had been assured by the two governments was off the table. It must be taken off now.

“Repeatedly, Sinn Féin and the DUP told us in the Preparation for Government Committee that as far as they were concerned there was no Comprehensive Agreement. Now that the legislation has been published, the honesty of their position will be tested.

“They will have to make clear whether they support this legislation and the defective Comprehensive Agreement, or the Good Friday Agreement.”

Meanwhile in a statement tonight, Ulster Unionist leader Reg Empey again stressed the importance of Sinn Féin giving a wholehearted endorsement to the police in the North.

“In the past Sinn Féin has tried to ‘bowl in short’ and the decommissioning issue was such an example,” the East Belfast Assembly member said.

“The ‘half way house option which Sinn Féin adopted on arms is not going to work for them on policing. They either support the police or they don’t.

“There is room for only one police service in Northern Ireland, and private armies won’t fit in to that scenario.

“I sincerely hope they complete the journey which has taken so long and caused so many avoidable tragedies and unnecessary loss of life.”