Doubts about the Ulster Democratic Party's continuing involvement in the multi-party talks process appeared to be growing last night as the participants travelled to London for this morning's opening session at Lancaster House. As British and Irish officials worked late into the night in an effort to agree joint proposals for this week's scheduled talks on future North-South relationships, both the SDLP and the Ulster Unionist Party piled pressure on the two governments to reassert the Mitchell Principles of democracy and non-violence as the basis for participation in the process.
In an apparent hardening of his party's position, Mr John Hume, the SDLP leader, backed a demand by his deputy, Mr Seamus Mallon, that parties representing paramilitary organisations be called upon to "disavow" those responsible for violence, or leave the talks.
Mr Mallon said: "In the circumstances we have, that is the only road down which we can go. I find it not just distasteful but morally absolutely questionable to remain in those talks in circumstances where some in other parties are connected with people who kill in the most cynical, callous way for political and sectarian reasons."
Mr David Trimble, the UUP leader, appeared to be reserving his position, while insisting it was for the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, to decide if she was "now going to ditch the Mitchell Principles". Mr Trimble refused to say explicitly if he wanted the UDP or other parties expelled from the talks, insisting: "It's her responsibility. We're not going to let her shrink from it. The question is: do the Mitchell Principles mean anything any more?" Earlier, Dr Mowlam spoke of the "moral dilemma" and the "competing moralities" represented by the need to preserve the integrity of the talks, challenged by recent murders and the breach of the Mitchell Principles, "versus trying to hold the talks together and making sure more lives are not lost". Dr Mowlam will consult the parties on the issue this morning, but it will not be formally considered before the arrival in London of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, in the afternoon.
The continuing row provoked by last Thursday's assessment by the RUC Chief Constable, and the subsequent confirmation that the UFF had broken its ceasefire, overshadowed weekend attempts to resolve British-Irish disagreements about the terms of a proposed paper, intended to be presented to the parties today, about the scale and structure of North-South institutional links.
London apparently rejected original Irish proposals for a "prescriptive" paper in favour of one listing a series of possible options. The emerging text is understood to marry the two concepts, describing possible models and listing a number of questions to be addressed. However, while both sides appeared optimistic that at least one "technical" paper would be agreed by this morning, there was continuing argument last night about the proposed preamble, which, according to sources, would explicitly reaffirm the commitment of both governments to the approach of the Joint Framework Documents.
It is understood the two sides were having particular difficulty describing the source from which the proposed North/South Council would derive its authority, with Dublin arguing for the Framework formula by which the Council would be established by legislation enacted by Westminster and the Dail. Unionists insist this would create "a third centre of power" and run counter to their belief that the recently published heads of agreement would require the council to operate within the mandate of, and be accountable to, a new Northern Ireland Assembly.
At a press conference in London last night, Mr Hume advanced his proposals for "all-island" structures based on the European model. He said the new arrangements should include a North/South Council of Ministers with executive responsibility, empowered to "co-operate, consult and decide policy". As outlined in the Framework Document, the powers should be "executive, consultative, advisory and harmonising".