The Rev Ian Paisley is right to insist in crucial talks on devolution for Northern Ireland that Sinn Fein comes on board over policing, the Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain insisted today.
Mr Hain added he was cautiously optimistic about a deal. But he admitted the success or failure of the talks, also involving Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, would hinge on whether Mr Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party was ready to share power with Sinn Fein and republicans were able to give their backing to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
"The police (in Northern Ireland) have been transformed. There have been one in five police officers who are Catholic and it is rising," Mr Hain said.
"It will rise to one in three within a few years and probably beyond that. We are now finding the police accepted in South Armagh where they have never been accepted before.
"So the transformation has been in policing as well but Sinn Fein have yet to support the police and the rule of law. Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, Sinn Fein's leaders, have made encouraging noises recently but they need to actually sign up.
"I think Ian Paisley is quite right to say that he will be up for a deal, as he has told me, provided he is sure that criminality has been eradicated from Northern Ireland politics and Sinn Fein are supporting the police.
"Then, on the other side, Sinn Fein will want to know that he is really up for sharing government with them and then I think things can move forward."
"If we don't get a 100 per cent deal by midnight on November 24th, then we will shut Stormont down. The politicians there have been paid for four years not to do their jobs. They are the only group of people who get paid not to do their jobs whilst the Assembly has been suspended.
"We have to have closure on this one way or the other," he said.
PA