Sinn Fein says rejection is Trimble's 'biggest blunder'

Sinn Féin has launched a scathing attack on Mr David Trimble following the Ulster Unionist Party's refusal to back the joint proposal on saving the Northern Ireland peace process.

Mr Martin McGuinness

Mr Martin McGuinness said at a news conference this afternoon Mr Trimble had adopted a strategy of "minimising and diluting" the potential of the Belfast Agreement.

He said Mr Trimble’s rejection of the proposal was a "grievous error of judgment" and was his "biggest blunder" so far.

He accused the UUP leader of deliberately trying to bring about the collapse of the Northern Ireland institutions.

"The British government has to stop pandering to David Trimble and start defending the Good Friday Agreement" he said.

"Of all the mistakes made throughout the course of the last three years in the Good Friday Agreement process, what David Trimble has done in rejecting the determination of the IICD is the greatest mistake of all," he said. "It is the biggest blunder of all".

"We have seen over the last 24 hours a historic and significant development ... that had been welcomed all over the world.

"What we are seeing is a determined effort by the leader of the Ulster Unionists to undermine an international body set up under the Good Friday Agreement."

Mr McGuinness said it was now time for Mr Trimble to "butt out" of the affairs of General de Chastelain and the decommissioning body.

When asked about the policing issue, Mr McGuinness was equally critical of Mr Trimble's stance.

"He is attempting to reduce nationalist support for policing to a precondition before he will support the political institutions. Acceptable, accountable and representative policing is a right and entitlement not a concession to be reduced to a bargaining chip by David Trimble."