Hume to spell out intentions on Presidency by Monday

Mr John Hume will announce by Monday, at the latest, whether he is interested in a cross-party nomination for the Presidency. He told The Irish Times yesterday that there were "good reasons for, and good reasons against" him accepting a nomination.

Both the SDLP leader and the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, denied a newspaper report yesterday that he had told her in a telephone conversation earlier this week that he would be seriously interested in succeeding the President, Mrs Robinson, if there was all-party agreement on his candidature.

Mr Hume said the report was not true. "All that I said to Mary Harney is that I am considering the matter."

He added that he would make his position known soon. "I am not saying anything until I have made my decision. I am consulting with the party. I will make my position known within the next few days, by the beginning of next week at the latest."

Ms Harney said in an RTE interview yesterday that it was not accurate to suggest that Mr Hume indicated to her that he was going to go forward, or that he would go forward under certain circumstances. She had contacted him to indicate that the Progressive Democrats would enthusiastically support his candidacy.

"I certainly hope he will go forward," said the Tanaiste. "He would be an outstanding candidate. I think he would be elected ahead of any other possible candidate. He has the support and respect of people from the whole country. Genuinely, the people of Ireland would love to see John Hume succeed President Robinson."

Ms Harney said she did not indicate to Mr Hume that she would be unable to support the former Taoiseach, Mr Albert Reynolds, as a candidate. When asked if it would not be extraordinary if she was not able to support the candidate nominated by her Government partners in the event of Mr Hume deciding not to go forward, she said: "Not necessarily."

She refused to discuss the merits of any other candidate and suggested that she may attempt to secure support for the nomination of a PD candidate.

The three main political parties are waiting for Mr Hume to declare his position before they can nominate their own presidential candidates at parliamentary party meetings over the next two weeks.

Despite the possibility that Mr Hume may seek an all-party nomination, Mr Reynolds said yesterday that "my name is before the parliamentary party and will stay there".

The Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, refused to address the "hypothetical question" if he would ask Ms Mary Banotti and Ms Avril Doyle to withdraw their candidature for a presidential nomination if Mr Hume expresses his interest in the position. "That does not arise at this stage," he said.

The Green Party announced yesterday that Senator David Norris was its preferred candidate for the presidential election. The support of the two Green TDs still leaves Senator Norris far short of the 20 Oireachtas votes required to secure a nomination.

Suzanne Breen in Belfast adds: A senior SDLP figure has said that Mr Hume will announce on Monday if he will stand for the Presidency. The party member believed that Mr Hume would declare himself as a candidate. However, other SDLP members were less certain.

The source said Mr Hume would have made his announcement this week but had decided against it following the death of Princess Diana. The way would be open for Mr Hume to end the continuing speculation following Diana's funeral tomorrow.