British still obstructive, says Sinn Fein

SINN Fein has accused the British government of continuing to erect obstacles to all party talks after the Northern political minister, Mr Michael Ancram, again rejected Mr Spring's call for a Dayton type conference.

Mr Ancram yesterday repeated that the Tanaiste's call for a two day, all- party Stormont conference, similar to the Dayton talks which broke the Bosnia logjam, was "premature".

While Mr Spring argued that such a conference could pave the way to all party talks, Mr Ancram was, by implication, dismissive. "We have to deal with the politics of reality, rather than the politics of wishful thinking.

"Anybody can call all party talks at any time but if the parties aren't prepared to come to those talks you don't have all party talks, whether they are the Dayton type `talks about talks' which the Irish Government are proposing, or all party talks in the full sense," Mr Ancram added.

Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, the Sinn Fein chairman, said the British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, and the unionist parties should stop placing obstacles to talks. He called on the British government to "honour their firm commitment" to begin negotiations by the end of this month.

"There is a growing body of opinion throughout the country and internationally that John Major has abandoned all pretence of sincerity about his desire to achieve a lasting settlement in Ireland," he added.