(5 Sep 1995) English/Nat
Britain's top official in Northern Ireland and the leader of the I-R-A's political wing, Sinn Fein, clashed Monday over the future of the Irish Republican Army arsenal.
Sir Patrick Mayhew and Gerry Adams met in Belfast just two days before the Prime Ministers of Britain and Ireland meet to try and break the months-long deadlock over the peace process.
Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein's chief negotiator Mark McGuinness headed in for the talks at Stormont Castle in Belfast via the back entrance, anxious not to be seen arriving with the British delegation.
Sir Patrick, Britain's Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, met with them inside for talks just two days before an Anglo-Irish summit.
The two governments have been debating an international commission - possibly headed by an American - for overseeing the disposal of weapons held by both the Catholic-based IRA and Protestant "Loyalist" paramilitary groups.
The stalemate over paramilitary arms has strained the province's year-old ceasefire which ended 25 years of civil strife.
Loyalists called a halt to their killings of Catholics in mid-October on condition that the I- R-A did not resume violence.
Sinn Fein wants negotiations with pro-British Protestants to begin immediately but Britain insists that the I-R-A commit itself to disarm first.
Sir Patrick Mayhew and Adams talked for two hours Monday in Belfast.
But neither appeared to give any ground.
Adams did not conceal his disappointment after meeting Mayhew.
SOUNDBITE:
We were looking for a positive response from Patrick Mayhew to propositions which had been put to him and which we saw as enabling everyone to move towards party talks without anyone having to climb down. And unfortunately, I am disappointed to say this, he was not able to respond positively to those suggestions. We have asked him to reflect, I think its incumbent on everyone to reflect upon how we can move this situation forward. This could well be a defining moment.
SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein President
Adams renewed his call to the British Government to begin talks on a whole range of issues affecting the peace process in Northern Ireland.
SOUNDBITE:
Sinn Fein is a political party we have no room to manoeuvre on this issue, talks is what is required, talks dealing with every single issue - from constitutional political matters through necessary matters of demilitarisation through democratic issues, we're looking for agreement. The British Government needs to, as I've said, stop gambling with the peace process and face up to its responsibilities to move the situation forward.
SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein President
Sir Patrick Mayhew was a little more upbeat but reiterated that the disarmament issue was still the most important matter to be resolved if the peace process was going to get back on track.
SOUNDBITE:
It's a question of confidence, people won't come round the table to sit down with people whose friends have refused to make that commitment and to give evidence of that commitment and we are not prepared to destroy the political process by calling talks where there will be a large number of empty chairs.
SUPER CAPTION: Sir Patrick Mayhew, Northern Ireland Secretary
Adams and Mayhew have met three times since first shaking hands at President Clinton's Northern Ireland economic forum in Washington in May.
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