London and Dublin have not ruled out the possibility of the Ulster Democratic Party returning to the talks within a period of weeks, despite their expulsion, the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, said. Speaking at a press conference at Lancaster House in London, Dr Mowlam and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, confirmed that the UFF's admission of responsibility for the murder of three Catholics had led to the decision to remove the UDP from the talks.
Describing the decision as difficult and disappointing, Dr Mowlam gave a clear indication that the two governments had not given up on the prospect of the UDP returning to the talks. The governments would keep the UFF ceasefire under review over the coming weeks. And subject to an "unequivocal and unqualified" ceasefire, demonstrated in word and deed, the UDP could return to the talks.
"The past few weeks in Northern Ireland have led to great suffering. Families have been devastated in a way that we all hoped had been left behind us. Those of us who remain at the talks must now focus on the important business before us. That is to make progress towards an agreement. We have a great deal of work to do and we must now get on with it," Dr Mowlam said.
Rejecting the view that the talks were now in danger of collapsing, Mr Andrews said both governments "look forward" to the UDP's return to the table. "There are no prospects whatsoever of the talks collapsing". He also confirmed that contacts at "official" level between the governments and the UDP would continue. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms Liz O'Donnell, said that governments, as distinct from other parties at the talks, had a responsibility to defend the integrity of the process. Insisting that the UFF's recent murder of Catholics in the North could not be ignored, she said its admission meant the governments' decision was "obligatory."