| Agreement at northern peace talks
is possible if the
British government acts decisively, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said last night. But his party wants a meeting with the British Prime Minister to get assurances before deciding to return to the peace talks on March 9th, he repeated. He had no doubt they would be granted a meeting. "We are very concerned about the erosion of confidence among an increasing section of nationalists about the talks and we want the British government to bring about very decisive and fundamental change," he said. He revealed that in a meeting last month the Irish Prime Minister, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern had said there were 10 to 12 issues that had to be agreed before any final settlement comes about. "I think it is possible to get an agreement on all of these issues if the British government has the courage to act decisively. The unionists have to come on board and have to agree." There would have to be real powers in All-Ireland institutions and arrangements to release prisoners in any settlement. Asked if Mr David Trimble would return to the talks if Sinn Fein took its place at the talks, Mr Adams said the UUP leader had played that card a number of times over the last six months. "If he does withdraw it will only be on a temporary basis. He has nowhere else to go. It's only when Mr Trimble gets into real negotiations that we are going to get a very solid basis for agreement," he said. |