THE BEST way to persuade, Sinn Fein to "get back into non violent politics" was to produce an agenda that would be pursued with or without them, the Progressive Democrats leader, Ms Mary Harney, said yesterday.
In a statement, she outlined six principles which should form a political and constitutional settlement in Northern Ireland.
These were (1) no internal settlement (2) the principle of consent (3) both governments having a legitimate interest in creating a "genuine partnership society" in the North (4) the inclusion of a real North South dimension to the settlement (5) three strands to receive their strength and shape by reference to each other (6) the basis of a settlement to emerge primarily from those who were politically in the centre.
She called for a "new political order" with genuine equality of esteem and recognition and a written constitution for Northern Ireland which would be "intended to outlast even some possible realignment of the North out of the UK into an all Ireland context".
The principle that the external constitutional status of Northern Ireland would be decided by a majority of its people should also be accepted, she said.
Ms Harney also called for the maximum degree of self government in Northern Ireland and new policing structures.