THE BRITISH Prime Minister, Mr Major, yesterday insisted Sinn Fe in could only take part in all party talks if there was a "clear cut, unequivocal ceasefire" by the IRA.
Mr Major's comments in the Commons followed Monday's announcement by the Sinn Fe in president, Mr Gerry Adams, that his party would accept the principles drawn up by the Mitchell Commission. Mr Adams earlier yesterday refused to condemn IRA violence and said he did not know if the IRA would announce a fresh ceasefire. He made clear Sinn Fein would only accept the principles in Senator George Mitchell's report if all other parties did so.
Mr Major told MPs at question time: "We believe that it is extremely important that the talks on Northern Ireland are successful, but the only way in which Sinn Fein will find themselves a part of those talks is if there is a clear cut, unequivocal ceasefire by the IRA. In the absence of that, Sinn Fein will not be part of the talks.
"I hope that is entirely clear to Sinn Fein, to the IRA and to every member of this House."
He was responding after Mr Stephen Day (Conservative) asked him "not to take note" of the efforts of Mr Adams to distance Sinn Fein from the IRA.
Mr Day added: "Will you remember that when Mr Adams tells us that he has consulted the IRA, what he has merely done is look in the bathroom mirror?"
Mr Major told him: "There is no doubt that Sinn Fein and the IRA are two sides of the same coin . . ."
The Rev Martin Smyth (UUP) asked Mr Major: "Would you accept that it is not enough to say that `we are no longer part of the IRA' when Sinn Fe in, through its leadership, has at no time condemned the atrocities and bombings of the IRA?" He added it would only be in the context of such a condemnation that "anybody could have confidence in them as a bona fide political party".
Mr Major replied there could be "no justification" for terrorist outrages and he hoped everyone would condemn them.
He said he expected every party eligible for the talks "to accept at the outset, without equivocation, each and every aspect of the Mitchell principles."
He insisted: "That is an essential prerequisite to taking part in the talks."