THE British government stressed yesterday that it accepted denials of an alleged relationship between a senior member of the American peace mediating team in Northern Ireland and a leading Sinn Fein activist.
A Northern Ireland Office spokesman said Senator George Mitchell, who heads the talks process, had given an assurance several weeks ago to British ministers that there had been no contact between his team and Sinn Fein or the IRA.
"Our ministers accepted that and have no reason to reject that assurance," he added.
The Northern Ireland Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, said he "knew nothing to doubt" about Mr Mitchell's statement.
According to yesterday's Mail on Sunday, MI5 has warned both the British Prime Minister, Mr John Major and President Clinton about an alleged "close friendship" between Ms Martha Pope, who is Mr Mitchell's deputy and chief of staff, and Mr Gerry Kelly, a convicted IRA activist and senior member of Sinn Fein's negotiating team.
Ms Pope (51) emphatically denied the allegations. Speaking to the BBC in Washington she said: "There is categorically no truth whatsoever in this story. I have never met Mr Kelly."
The Northern Ireland Political Development Minister, Mr Michael Ancram, said he also had no reason to doubt Ms Pope's denials.
"I saw her denial and I've also heard Senator Mitchell some time ago making it absolutely clear to the participants in the talks that there have been no contacts with Sinn Fein either by him or by members of his staff and I accept that assurance. I've seen nothing to give me reason to doubt it."
The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, the Rev Ian Paisley, called for Ms Pope's dismissal yesterday and referred to his speech at his party's conference in Co Antrim on Saturday when he warned that "people in Senator Mitchell's office are not to be trusted for they're friends of leading members of the IRA".
Mr Peter Robinson, the deputy leader of the DUP, said they had discussed the allegations with Mr Major and the Northern Secretary last Thursday.
"We have received information that indicated that an MI5 report had been submitted to Sir Patrick. We raised the matter at a meeting with the Prime Minister and Sir, Patrick and we are still looking at it."