Cabinet debates strict terms on contact with SF

THE Government seems to have attached an important precondition to future meetings between Sinn Fein and its officials. It also appears to have opened up the prospect that Sinn Fein could enter all party talks in Northern Ireland if Mr Gerry Adams withdraws support for the IRA's "armed struggle".

Following the review of its relationship with Sinn Fein in the wake of the Adare and Manchester atrocities, official sources said last night that there would have to be "some substantive matter" for future official communication with Sinn Fein. "That would have to relate to the reinstatement of the ceasefire", they said, insisting that the door was not closed on communications.

In a written statement, cleared by the three Coalition leaders, the Government said: "The question of further meetings, if any, with Sinn Fein will be kept under review in light, inter alia, of the response by Sinn Fein to the two simple questions that were put to them publicly last evening [Monday] on behalf of the Government."

These questions are: had the Sinn Fein president yet gone to the IRA to ask for a ceasefire, and if not, why not and did his party continue to support the "armed struggle" of the IRA? The Government concluded yesterday that, if the party could not answer these questions publicly, it would continue to have difficulty pursuing a coherent peace strategy.

Interpreting the statement last night, Government sources said the two questions aimed to discover if Sinn Fein could deliver a ceasefire or if it could break away from the IRA. Their purpose was to remove ambiguity about where Sinn Fein stood on the use of violence for political purposes.

Asked if it was being suggested, in the second question, that Sinn Fein could enter all party talks if it said that it did not support the "armed struggle" of the IRA, the informed sources said the Government would make an evaluation after that. "Then you would have a new situation."

Asked if the Government was not aware whether Mr Adams had gone to the IRA to seek a restoration of the ceasefire, these sources responded that they did not know whether Mr Adams had done so. That was why the question had been put.

Mr Adams's response to the questions was regarded as inadequate.

It is understood that the last meeting between Government officials and Sinn Fein took place in the days before the opening of all party talks on June 10th. At that meeting the officials asked Sinn Fein to go to the IRA and seek a reinstatement of the ceasefire.

Official sources indicated last night that the Government had received no response to its request.

The Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, insisted yesterday that lines of communication should be maintained "while there remains any reasonable chance of restoring peace".

The leader of the Progressive Democrats, Ms Mary Harney, said that the Government's failure to end contact with Sinn Fein represented a wasted opportunity.