MR JOHN MAJOR has said that "more than soft words" will be required from the IRA in the event of a new ceasefire if London is to be convinced "it does not represent another tactical device to be abandoned at any convenient moment."
The British Prime Minister's declaration - during yesterday's opening debate on the Queen's Speech - was immediately interpreted by senior Ulster Unionists as a signal that London is prepared to "raise the threshold" on Sinn Fein participation in the talks process in the event of a second IRA cessation.
However, the UUP's definitive response will come later today in the commons in a speech from the party leader, Mr David Trimble
The Irish Government and the SDLP will closely scrutinise Mr Trimble's speech for signs of how he proposes to conclude the ongoing Stormont debate about decommissioning illegally-held weapons and whether the Ulster Unionists intend to proceed into substantive three-stranded negotiations.
Crucially, the UUP leader is due to hold further talks with the Prime Minister on how London might define the characteristics of any ceasefire it would consider dependable and reliable.
One suggestion being canvassed is that the British government might submit proposals, during the third phase of the inter-party discussions on decommissioning, spelling out its requirements for a second IRA ceasefire and for a subsequent decommissioning process.
Privately, senior Ulster Unionists say they want, in effect, to "lock out Sinn Fein".
In the Commons yesterday, Mr Major said the talks process "will go on without them".
Referring to the elections earlier this year as the basis for multi-party talks, Mr Major said: "No one imagined rapid breakthroughs."
"This is a democratic process, and it sometimes does grind along very slowly. The IRA and Sinn Fein do not accept this democratic process. They are trying to impose their own terms on the talks. They have not been ready to renounce violence."
Mr Major continued: "That is plainly incompatible with joining the talks. They have excluded themselves from the talks by their return to violence. Not us, not the Irish, not the other parties in Northern Ireland. It's their fault. No one else's. The talks will go on without them."
He said: "The IRA and Sinn Fein should be under no illusion they can join the process until they have demonstrated real to democratic and violent methods.
"So, even if a new ceasefire is declared, there will have to be more than soft words to convince this government - and I believe this House - that it does not represent another tactical device, to be abandoned at any convenient moment."
Mr Major confirmed his party conference promise to consult the parties about how to develop the Northern Ireland Grand Committee at Westminster to enable greater scrutiny of legislation, government policy and ministers.
He confirmed: "We'll also introduce a Bill to allow the missioning of terrorist
The UUP had reacted viciously to a passage in Elizabeth's formal address to parliament saying her ministers "stand ready to introduce" decommissioning legislation. British officials last night conceded the wording used in the Queen's Speech was different from Major's at the Conservative conference
However, they stressed that the Bill, which is essentially an enabling piece of legislation in the absence of agreement on actual decommissioning, would almost certainly be presented before Christmas.