Morrison says arms issue must not hold up negotiations

AS politicians resumed their talks at Stormont yesterday against the backdrop of the IRA bomb find in London, the focus was again on how the decommissioning issue should be tackled.

The former US congressman Mr Bruce Morrison, who met the Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble and the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, urged that unionists leave themselves room to manoeuvre on the issue. He believed that the two governments wanted Sinn Fein at the talks with no preconditions other than an IRA ceasefire.

But, after his meeting with Mr Morrison, the UUP leader insisted that a timetable for the beginning of IRA decommissioning must be clearly established if Sinn Fein was to be allowed into the talks process.

Mr Trimble said the bomb find underlined the necessity of addressing the issue seriously. While he insisted there must be decommissioning alongside talks, he was not specific on when it should begin.

That was a matter that must be addressed by the two governments, he said. In particular, unionists must be satisfied that the governments quickly establish legislation to deal with the mechanics of decommissioning.

Some of Mr Trimble's comments have triggered concerns in the DUP and UK Unionist Party, who suspect he may be prepared to compromise on the issue in order to allow Sinn Fein into the talks in the event of an IRA ceasefire.

This is a stance favoured by Mr Morrison. He suggested that decommissioning be put on "the sideburner" while other substantive issues are addressed at the talks.

Mr Morrison said after the meeting at Stormont that unionists should not "paint themselves into a corner" on the decommissioning issue. And, while he not foresee an IRA ceasefire "around the corner", he was hopeful "that down the road piece a ceasefire is still possible.

"I believe there is a way forward that would avoid preconditions, other than the precondition: that there be a ceasefire," he said. "The presence of Sinn Fein is important to real political progress, and I would think that if their presence were on offer, in the sense of a ceasefire, that the notion of precondition could be overcome...

"I do not believe that either government is withdrawing from its commitment to have Sinn Fein enter talks without precondition other than that there be a ceasefire in place," he said.

Asked if he believed unionists might allow the decommissioning issue to be placed on the "backburner", Mr Morrison said: "I don't know that if it has ever been agreed that it go on the backburner, but that it would at least be on a sideburner that would not burn any faster than the political talks themselves."

Mr Morrison, who is expected to meet the Taoiseach in Dublin today, said he would be reporting to the White House on his trip, during which he met Sinn Fein, the SDLP, the Alliance Party and the UUP, as well as Sir Patrick Mayhew and other politicians. The DUP refused to meet him.

Also on the delegation was Mr Niall O'Dowd, publisher of the Irish Voice in New York, US husinessman Mr Charles Feeney, and trade unionist Mr Joe Jameson.