THE Democratic Unionist Party leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, hash claimed that a joint document on decommissioning, agreed by the Irish and British governments, has already been explained to "other parties" in Northern Ireland. He said the DUP would not take part in talks if Sinn Fein joined in.
In a thinly-veiled reference to, the Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, he said: "Others had a glimpse of this paper. I happen to know because I have been informed that they saw the paper, and also I was informed that they were taken through the paper by the Secretary of State, and that she did not deny."
Speaking yesterday after a meeting at Stormont Castle with the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo' Mowlam, he said he had asked to' see the document but had been "given a look at nothing".
He claimed other parties had probably been shown the document "to bring them on side" but said the DUP would be insisting that decommissioning be dealt with before any move to talks.
"We pointed out that the two prime ministers made a solemn covenant with the Ulster people that the first thing that would be dealt with at any talks would be decommissioning. Decommissioning has got to be settled or there will be no strands one, two or three."
He said an attempt was being made to push decommissioning to the side but it would not succeed.
Dr Paisley, speaking before Mr Bruton's announcement, said he did not believe the proposal on decommissioning would be ready in time for today's session of multi-party talks at Stormont.
And in an indication that tie was not well informed about the stage the two governments had reached, he said: "There will be no breakthrough this week because there is no Irish Government. The Irish Government, one part of it is in limbo, and the other part of it is in purgatory."