The three main principles underpinning the Belfast Agreement must provide the framework for its full implementation, the SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, said yesterday after meeting the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, at Downing Street.
Focusing on creating a fully inclusive executive and decommissioning, as set down by Gen John de Chastelain, during the review of the implementation of the Belfast Agreement must be at the heart of dialogue between the Northern parties and Senator George Mitchell when the process begins on September 6th, Mr Hume said.
Emerging from a 45-minute discussion, the SDLP delegation, which included the South Down MP, Mr Eddie McGrady, and Assembly member Mr Sean Farren, made clear that no new proposals had been put forward during the meeting, because "there are no new proposals needed".
Mr Hume said all that was needed "is that we implement the agreement that we worked very hard to reach. It's our duty to translate the will of the people into reality". Clearly signalling the party's wish to bridge the "narrow but deep gap" that remains between the parties, an SDLP source said it wanted a "tightly focused" review with less emphasis on party leaders shuttling between Belfast and London to talk to Mr Blair if they were unhappy with progress. Gen de Chastelain must be allowed to "get on" with facilitating the review in his own time, the source added.
Downing Street described the meeting as "positive" and said while London favoured a "lowkey" approach to the review process, "that doesn't mean the Prime Minister won't be engaged". Senator Mitchell could "tease out the options" without every meeting becoming a summit.
The IRA's statement last week on decommissioning and Sinn Fein's "considered assessment" of the peace process, expected this week, were discussed "generally, but not specifically" during the meeting, Mr Farren said. "We came here to talk about the implementation of the agreement," he added.
Mr Hume said he was convinced the Ulster Unionist Party and Sinn Fein were committed to the Belfast Agreement and urged all sides not to concentrate on the negative and remain focused on implementing its structures and bodies. Expressing his optimism that the review process would work, Mr Hume said the "overwhelming majority" of people on the island of Ireland had endorsed the Belfast Agreement.