Row erupts after Trimble warning at agreement talks

A row erupted tonight at the end of talks aimed at implementing the Belfast

A row erupted tonight at the end of talks aimed at implementing the Belfast

Agreement after Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble claimed it was being undermined by "side issues".

The Northern Ireland First Minister warned that attempts to resolve the issue of around 30 paramilitaries on the run and plans to give Northern Ireland politicians speaking rights in the Dáil were counterproductive.

After the inaugural meeting in Hillsborough, Co Down, of a new body to monitor the Agreement, he declared: "We don't need things that are not in the Agreement and that specifically refers firstly to the question of a form of amnesty for on-the-run terrorists.

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"That's not in the Agreement. There is no amnesty. There is no anomaly (on the issue of paramilitaries on the run) and there is no need, therefore, to extend outside the Agreement.

"We are also very concerned about this new channel, this sort of parallel process that the Irish Government is proposing to open up in terms of giving representatives in Northern Ireland facilities in the Irish parliament.

"That again is not in the Agreement and would tend to undermine one of the central parts of the Agreement."

Mr Trimble was commenting after a "frank exchange of views" on the Agreement by the Irish and British governments, UUP, nationalist SDLP, Sinn Féin, Progressive Unionists and the cross community Women's Coalition and Alliance parties.

It is understood the PUP and Sinn Féin were challenged on decommissioning, while the SDLP raised concerns about plans to reform the criminal justice system and the slowness in the appointment of an international judge to examine the case for inquiries into controversial killings.

After 90 minutes of talks, Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid signalled the Irish British and governments hoped to have the judge in place next month.

But he denied any deal had been struck between the British government and Sinn Féin on the issue of paramilitaries on the run.

"The question of those prisoners or ex-prisoners who are on the run is one that we wish to resolve. We want to meet that commitment. It's an anomaly which arises out of the Good Friday Agreement and it's not an easy one to resolve because of all the associated issues," said Mr Trimble.

PA