The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, has shifted the peace process into a higher gear by his handshake with republican leaders at Stormont. However, his latest visit to the North was marred by loyalist protests. At Castle Buildings, site of the multi-party talks, Mr Blair met and shook hands with the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams; the party's chief negotiator, Mr Martin McGuinness; the Sinn Fein vicepresident, Mr Pat Doherty, and a member of the party's administrative staff at Stormont, Ms Siobhan O'Hanlon. In an effort to minimise unionist criticism, it was decided that the news media should not be permitted to observe or photograph the encounter. Mr Blair would not directly confirm to reporters afterwards that he had shaken the Sinn Fein president's hand and this had to be checked with other sources.
Mr Blair said: "I treated Gerry Adams and the members of Sinn Fein in the same way I treat any human being. What I think is important about the situation in Northern Ireland is that we do treat each other as human beings and we have a very simple choice.
"We can either carry on with the hatred and despair and the killings, treating people as if they were not parts of humanity, or we can try and settle our differences by negotiation, discussion and debate. That's what's important, whether it's with Gerry Adams or with the loyalists, or anyone else."
He sounded a warning that if Sinn Fein departed from the Mitchell Principles the party would be expelled from the talks. He said he had told the republicans he wanted their party in the process provided it was on the basis of non-violence and democratic means. The Prime Minister also stressed the principle of consent. "The will of the people here must be paramount in determining the future," he said. "Everybody here has got to be committed to the principles of non-violence. Anybody who departs from that will not be in this talks process."
Mr Adams said the meeting with Mr Blair had been a good one, but he added: "We want him to be the last British Prime Minister with jurisdiction in Ireland."
He hoped Sinn Fein would be having further meetings with Mr Blair. "We are dealing with a man who certainly recognises this is a historic opportunity. He recognises also there needs to be change to bring about transformation to consolidate the peace process."
The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, dismissed the Blair-Adams handshake, which he was not of "earthshattering importance". He told BBC Radio: "Sinn Fein are only bit players. They're a small group, a minority of a minority."
The UUP deputy leader, Mr John Taylor, said the republicans were "on the run". In a statement he said: "Sinn Fein supporters now require a period of political counselling and political education to prepare them for the realities of the probable conclusion of the talks process at Stormont."
After his meeting with Sinn Fein and the other delegations at Stormont, the Prime Minister went to the Connswater shopping centre to mingle with members of the public. He was met at the entrance by about three dozen loyalist protesters who booed and jeered and denounced him as "scum" and a "traitor". Members of the RUC formed a circle around Mr Blair to protect him.
Reporters had been alerted about the protest in advance. A statement issued by No 10 Downing Street afterwards said: "Tony Blair was unfazed by the angry scenes orchestrated by a small number of people, some carrying cameras. The rowdy scenes contrasted vividly with the warm welcome he received earlier in the day when he met ordinary members of the public."
The DUP MP, Mr Peter Robinson, rejected suggestions by Mr Blair and others that the protest had been orchestrated: "If his administration didn't expect such a reception, perhaps they had begun to believe their own propaganda."