Stormont talks start new phase of peace process

INTENSIVE consultations aimed at moving the peace process forward begin at Stormont today amid recriminations and in the absence of the two main unionist parties and Sinn Fein.

Irish Government sources said last night that officials would be available to meet representatives of Sinn Fein today, if the party so wished, but not at Stormont. Dublin and London have agreed to talk to Sinn Fein through officials only until the IRA ceasefire is restored.

A Sinn Fein spokesman said last night that he was unaware of any invitation to meet Government officials. Meanwhile, the party's chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, said that the talks process was taking on all the dimensions of a "farce". He refused to say if Sinn Fein intended to protest outside Stormont today.

The Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, joint sponsor with the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, of nine days of proximity talks at Stormont, said that politicians would have to deliver on the promise of peace. He "encouraged" the parties to meet Mr Spring at Stormont during the round of proximity talks.

Sinn Fein is not on that invitation list, even on the basis of only being permitted to meet British and Irish officials. The Ulster Unionist Party and the DUP, as well as the Independent Unionist MP, Mr Robert McCartney, are refusing to attend, chiefly because of Mr Spring's presence.

The unionist parties, however, say that they will be meeting British ministers at Westminster this week. They have refused to meet Mr Spring because they hold that he should have no part to play in this "internal" stage of the peace process.

The SDLP, the Alliance Party and the two loyalist fringe parties, the Ulster Democratic Party and Progressive Unionist Party, will be at Stormont for the consultations, which are aimed at devising an elective process to lead into all party negotiations. The participants will also consider the merits of holding parallel peace referendums in both the Republic and the North.

Mr Spring and Sir Patrick Mayhew will initially arrange scheduling and other matters relating to the proximity talks, which are due to be completed by March 13th, when a decision on an elective process has to be made. In the absence of agreement at the conclusion of these talks, the British government will decide the format of the election.

If the Tanaiste and the Northern Secretary conclude the scheduling on time, they are expected to meet representatives of the SDLP, Alliance, UDP and PUP this afternoon.

The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, complaining yesterday of being excluded from the consultation process, said that the British government seemed to be taking over the proximity talks, even though it was a joint sponsor with Dublin.

The Minister for Social Welfare, Mr De Rossa, said last night that the IRA could facilitate Sinn Fein participation in the preliminary talks by restoring its ceasefire.