THE chairwoman of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation, Judge Catherine McGuinness, expressed concern yesterday at the publication in The Irish Times of sections of the final draft of the forum's report.
The Alliance Party leader, Dr John Alderdice, also expressed disappointment and anger over the apparent leak.
In an interview broadcast by BBC Radio Ulster yesterday evening, Judge McGuinness said: "Well, of course I find all breaches of confidentiality extremely disturbing and it certainly doesn't help the peace process forward.
And I do wish that people who do this... and who make use of it in their newspapers would try to remember what a lot of damage they can do by behaving like this.
"And it is particularly difficult when a somewhat misinterpreted gloss is put on the interpretation of the document."
Judge McGuinness was then asked by the station's Dublin correspondent Shane Harrison: "Government and Fianna Fail sources are quoted as saying that the document will put pressure on Sinn Fein. What is your reaction?"
She replied: "Well, first of all I haven't talked to the Government and Fianna Fail sources that are supposed to have said that. But if you're trying to reach an agreed document between 12 parties, as we are, all the parties are under pressure.
"Everyone is going to have to give way a certain amount, and we have to deal with a group that spans from Alliance to Sinn Fein.
"And clearly it puts everyone under pressure to try and agree a document, not just Sinn Fein."
Interviewer: "Have you had any indication yet whether Sinn Fein is going to sign up tomorrow to an agreed report?"
Judge McGuinness said: "No. We haven't had any direct indication from Sinn Fein. We hope to hear from them during the day."
Interviewer: "How realistic is it to expect Sinn Fein to sign up to something that might restrict them in all party negotiations at a future date?"
Judge McGuinness: "Well, as I've said before, this kind of thing applies to all the parties to some extent, and I'd have to say that obviously we weren't terribly well helped by the fact that the atmosphere outside the forum . . . is very tense. Had the publication of the Mitchell report gone along the lines that were first suggested . . . I think it would have been easier for the forum parties to deal with their own difficulties and clashes.
"But I'm not giving up hope and we have a scheduled meeting of the drafting committee tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock and obviously we pick up threads and start working again and try to reach consensus.
Interviewer: "Now, many a sceptical unionist, looking at the wording in today's Irish Times, might say it's kind of woolly and nowhere does Sinn Fein sign up to the principle of consent, and [they might] wonder what the fuss is all about."
Judge McGuinness: "All I can say about that is that this is a confidential document which is still in a process of being drafted, and I'm really not prepared to comment on the content until the document is finished."