(26 Jul 1997) English/Nat
Northern Ireland's Protestant politicians have reacted angrily to the latest manoeuvring by the IRA's political wing, Sinn Fein.
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams met Irish Premier Bertie Ahern on Friday for the first time since the new I-R-A cease-fire was announced less than a week ago.
It represents the first contact between the government and Sinn Fein since the end of the I-R-A's previous cease-fire.
But Peter Robinson, Deputy Leader of the Democratic Unionists, accused the British government of caving in to the threat of I-R-A violence, and giving ground to Sinn Fein.
John Taylor of the Ulster Unionists, however, saw some cause for optimism.
He said it was encouraging to hear Sinn Fein endorsing the need for the people of Northern Ireland to give their consent to a permanent settlement.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Well it's another demonstration of the pan nationalist front, getting their planning and attempting to ensure that their version of an outcome is the one that is going to be paramount. It's abundantly clear that they wrap the green flag around themselves, they probably rejoice in the fact that they've got a government in the united Kingdom that is pandering to them and is afraid of IRA violence and therefore willing to make concessions to them"
SUPERCAPTION: Peter Robinson, Deputy Leader of the Democratic Unionists
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Well there's a new sense of realism beginning to emerge in Irish nationalism. As I was saying earlier that is that they recognise the settlement must be by consent. It must be in the context of Northern Ireland being separate from the Republic, and that settlement does require the support of the majority of the community - the British majority in Northern Ireland. It's good that Sinn Fein IRA are moving in that direction, but they still haven't committed themselves to consent, and that has to come"
SUPER CAPTION: John Taylor, Ulster Unionist Party
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