Sinn Féin and the SDLP welcomed Judge Peter Cory's decision to notify the families of Pat Finucane, Robert Hamill, Rosemary Nelson and Billy Wright that he has urged independent inquiries into their killings.
The DUP supported the call for an inquiry into the INLA murder of Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) leader Billy Wright.
Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams met Northern Secretary Mr Paul Murphy yesterday where he pressed for the publication of Judge Peter Cory's reports into the four killings. He focused on the allegation of British security force collusion with loyalist groupings.
Mr Adams accused the British government of seeking to find excuses to prevent publication of the reports, and said the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, must personally address the issue. "There was a policy and administrative practice of collusion between British agencies and agents with unionist paramilitaries. That obviously is a huge thing for a British government to deal with. But Mr Blair has to deal with this issue," he said.
SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan said Mr Blair and the British government were giving the impression of trying to engage in a "cover-up" over the cases.
"Until such time as they publish the Cory reports and move with the inquiries that Cory has recommended, nobody can conclude other than that they are trying to drag their feet, and trying to hide something for somebody," he added.
Mr Blair gave a clear commitment to hold inquiries if Judge Cory so recommended and he should now honour that commitment. "The SDLP is writing to the US administration, to leading US senators and congressmen and to the United Nations urging that they use their influence to force Tony Blair to live up to his word. He cannot be allowed to bury the truth," said Mr Durkan.
DUP Assembly member Mr Ian Paisley junior welcomed the judge's recommendation for an investigation into the 1997 INLA killing of Billy Wright. There was much surrounding his death that aroused suspicion, he said.
"The very fact that Mr Wright was in the custody of the state at the time of his death only adds weight to the need for this sort of inquiry," Mr Paisley added.
Mr Jeffrey Donaldson also welcomed Judge Cory's recommendation in relation to Billy Wright.
He said the inquiry should not be drawn out but "focused".
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