SINN FEIN expects to be involved in joint talks with the British and Irish governments within two weeks, the party's vice-president, Mr Pat Doherty, said in Dublin yesterday.
He was speaking after what he described as "a very useful and constructive meeting" with senior Government officials. He also indicated that Sinn Fein was trying to bring the current series of killings in Northern Ireland to a halt.
Government sources said the meeting with Sinn Fein had been marked by "straight talking on both sides". The Government representatives had very clearly condemned the recent violence in Northern Ireland. They were satisfied their views and concerns had been taken on board by the Sinn Fein representatives.
Political sources said the "target date" for Senator Mitchell's report on arms decommissioning was now January 18th. Senator Mitchell and his colleagues are expected to visit London on Thursday, Dublin on Friday and Belfast on Saturday next.
The Sinn Fein vice-president told reporters outside Government Buildings he would "most certainly expect" a meeting involving his party and the two governments to take place before the Mitchell report was presented. The meeting would be held "maybe not next week, but certainly early in the following week".
Mr Doherty did not know yet if the SDLP would take part. "We cannot speak for other parties or, indeed, for the Government. We would want any party, including the unionists, to come and we'd be more than happy to see them there.
Mr Doherty confirmed that, during yesterday's meeting, officials had reiterated the Government's concern at the recent killings in Northern Ireland.
Indicating that Sinn Fein was trying to bring the current killings to a halt, he said: "We assured them that we had been doing everything within our power on the ground, dealing with local communities, dealing with the local people and trying to resolve this whole question, particularly given the fact that there is no acceptable police service in the six counties."
He said Sinn Fein "didn't want to see anybody killed at all" but he refused to condemn the killings outright.
"Let me tell you about the politics of condemnation. I've lived with it for 25 years and I find it hypocritical and useless. I would far rather spend my time dealing with the issue and trying to resolve it than to be issuing words of condemnation. We do not condone it and we have worked very, very, very hard to have it resolved."
Asked if the killings had strained relations between Sinn Fein and the Government. Mr Doherty replied: "No. I think that the Government is committed to developing the political track
In a separate development, the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, Mr David Trimble, and his deputy, Mr John Taylor, held a private lunch in a Dublin restaurant yesterday with a small group of senior journalists from the Irish Independent, the Sunday Tribune and RTE.