THE Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, has accused unionist politicians of failing to give constructive leadership and has urged them to stop living in the past and look to the future.
Speaking at hiss party's election press conference in Belfast yesterday, Mr Adams referred to remarks by the DUP deputy led, Mr Peter Robinson, that Sinn Fein was demanding all-party negotiations while the IRA campaign continued.
Mr Adams accused Mr Robinson of misrepresenting the republican position and of being afraid of negotiations and change. "He and his party leader, Ian Paisley have opposed every effort to construct an inclusive process. They are failing to give leadership by preferring to focus on the past rather than the future."
Mr Adams said Dr Paisley might think that he could avoid dialogue, but the Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, knew that he would have to talk to Sinn Fein. "He knows that there is no going back to unionist domination. He knows that on the councils there are no empty chairs. He knows that nationalists will settle for nothing less than a future as equals. He should be honest with his electorate."
The conflict could only be resolved through inclusive talks, Mr Adams said. "Unionists know and understand this, but their leadership seeks to defend its own narrow political agenda rather than considering the future needs of their people."
Asked about the IRA's spate of bomb warnings in London yesterday, Mr Adams replied that there was a need for an end to all violence.
The party's Mid-Ulster candidate, Mr Martin McGuinness, said that such incidents were the symptom of the failure of the British government's response to the opportunities created by the IRA ceasefire.