Donaldson says joint declaration is 'insult' to victims

Anti-Agreement unionist Mr Jeffrey Donaldson has described plans for dealing with 'on the run' paramilitaries in the British and Irish governments' joint declaration as a "calculated insult" to terrorist victims.

Mr Donaldson today wrote to all 860 Ulster Unionist Council delegates urging them to reject the Governments' declaration ahead of Monday's Ulster Unionist Council showdown between the Lagan Valley MP and UUP leader Mr David Trimble.

He claimed the declaration contains no timetable for paramilitary disarmament in contrast to a clear timetable for dismantling of British army infrastructure.

In a copy of the paper obtained by the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Donaldson says: "The declaration should be set aside and we should go back to the negotiating table to address all of these issues.

He said the declaration proposes that 'on the run' terrorists will able to submit their to an eligibility body and have their cases considered by a Special Judicial Tribunal.

"These proposals represent a calculated insult to the innocent victims of terrorism," he claimed.

"What I want to achieve at the negotiation table is closure on over 30 years of conflict," he said."The problem with the current arrangements is that whilst they clearly have the support of nationalists they are only now supported by less than one third of unionists, and that position is not sustainable."

Mr Trimble has so far refused to declare how he will meet Mr Donaldson's challenge at the UUC meeting.

However he is also expected to write to the 860 delegates urging support for the declaration and to maintain their faith in his leadership.