The deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, Mr Peter Robinson, has claimed that unionists will have a clear choice at the next Assembly election between more concessions to republicans or an opportunity to shape Northern Ireland's future.
Speaking in Portadown at the first of a series of public meetings across the North on recent developments in the peace process, Mr Robinson said the "election will represent the last opportunity for unionists to halt the surrender process represented by the Belfast Agreement.
He said if elections took place soon they would come on the back of "an IRA stunt".
Addressing supporters in his main rival Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble's Upper Bann constituency, the East Belfast MP said: "The tactics of deception and delusion have been used before to seek to trick the people of Northern Ireland.
"If elections do come in the next couple of months, we can be absolutely surethey will come on the back of another IRA stunt, government spin and applausefrom the usual suspects who will be marshalled in an attempt to deceive theunionist community.
The election, he said: "will offer unionists a clear choice between a new agreement which bothunionist and nationalists can support or further concessions to republicans."
If the DUP were to secure more than half the seats in the Assembly, he argued,they could thwart the election of a First and Deputy First Minister at Stormontwho would require the support of more than half the unionist MLAs as well asover half of the nationalists.
This would result in negotiations on a new agreement, the former DUP RegionalDevelopment Minster insisted.
PA