The new leader of a party linked to the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force today said there was little chance of the paramilitary group giving up its weapons. Mr David Ervine, who today was elected unopposed as leader of the Progressive Unionist Party, said people in his community had yet to be convinced that republicans were fully behind the peace process.
Speaking after his election in Belfast, he said: "I have absolutely no evidence at all that the UVF or Red Hand Commando is even considering handing over weapons."
Earlier this week the Independent International Commission for Decommissioning (IICD) confirmed that a second act of IRA disarmament had taken place.
There were numerous calls among unionists and nationalists for the loyalist groups to follow suit but Mr Ervine said they did not feel under pressure to make a reciprocal gesture.
He said: "Loyalists now have something that everybody wants. The difficulty in delivering it is that people are saying why don't they do what the IRA did?
"If they did, then they would make out a shopping list that would be diametrically opposed to the IRA's," he said.
Mr Ervine, who replaced Belfast councillor Mr Hugh Smyth as party leader, said republicans could create the conditions for loyalist decommissioning by proving to unionists that they were fully behind the new political structures.
"I know republicans have difficulties in saying this is a settlement but unionists need to see that republicans are absolutely genuine," he said.
Mr Ervine denied that he was trying to force Sinn Fein to give up attempting to create a unified state. But he accused them of fostering instability by constantly undermining the position of unionists.
"I can't make them give up their aspirations. It is perfectly legitimate for a republican to say ‘I would like a united Ireland’ but I want a situation in which the people of this society can have peace, honour and stability."
At today's meeting, Mr David Rose of the party's North Down branch defeated Castlereagh Councillor Mr Tom Sandford for the post of deputy leader of the party.
Mr Rose said the PUP's aim was to broaden the nature of politics in Northern Ireland and appeal to people not because of its unionist credentials but in terms of social policies.
PA