Make-or-break talks on the future of the Northern Ireland peace process will fail unless the British government takes responsibility for its part in any agreement, Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams warned today.
Sinn Fein President Mr Gerry Adams
As the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen and Northern Secretary Mr Paul Murphy and met in Dublin, Mr Adams claimed it should not be left to his party and the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists to try to reach a settlement when negotiations begin in September.
Mr Adams said: "While republicans and the DUP have important contributions to make to any possible deal in September, the British and Irish governments also have responsibility for key issues requiring resolution."
All sides are to be called together in a bid to agree a deal to restore the power-sharing executive in Belfast. It was suspended last October amid Ulster Unionist claims of an IRA spy ring operating inside Stormont.
British prime minister Mr Tony Blair has hinted the Northern Ireland Assembly could be shut down unless agreement is reached in September when the DUP will intensify demands for total disarmament by the Provisional IRA.
Mr Adams, who is also having talks in Dublin today with the Taoiseach Mr Ahern, said efforts to resolve outstanding issues will fail if the British tried to abdicate any responsibility for the current crisis - or refuse to accept it had a significant contribution to make to any agreement.
He said: "In particular the British government failure to tackle the issue of collusion, best illustrated by its refusal to hold an independent inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane, is evidence of that government's appalling record on keeping commitments."
Tomorrow, Mr Murphy is expected to outline some details of the British government's plans to hold independent investigations into the murders of lawyer Rosemary Nelson, LVF leader Billy Wright and Catholic Robert Hamill, who was kicked to death by loyalists in Portadown, Co Armagh.
A decision on a separate inquiry into Mr Finucane's killing has been delayed because a man charged with the murder is not due to stand trial until October