Nationalists press policing case

The proposed RUC reforms have sparked much debate

Sinn Fein and the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party are to meet the government to try to find a way to resolve issues blocking the NI peace process.

An SDLP delegation is to meet security minister Adam Ingram at Stormont on Tuesday afternoon to in an effort to "resolve outstanding matters" on the controversial issue of police reform.

And Sinn Fein has said its talks with the government on policing and demilitarisation are to resume this week.

Intensive discussions between the parties and the government broke down before Christmas without agreement, when Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said the onus was on the prime minister to move the peace process forward.

The Northern Ireland Assembly does not reconvene until next week, but disagreement between the parties and the government on the policing, demilitarisation and paramilitary weapons decommissioning issues are threatening to destabilise the institution.

Sinn Fein is refusing to support and nominate representatives to the new 19-member Police Board, which is to oversee policing reform this year, because the party feels the reforms of the Royal Ulster Constabulary do not go far enough.

Pat Doherty: "Government needs to be flexible"

The nationalist SDLP has also refused to nominate representatives to the Board, until it gets guarantees from the government on the implementation of the reforms.

Republicans are also demanding demilitarisation in border areas, where the government feels there is still a threat from dissident republicans.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland First Minister and Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble is expected to come under increasing pressure to ensure that the IRA delivers on its commitments on disarmament.

He has placed sanctions on Sinn Fein's two ministers, by excluding them from meetings of the North-South Ministerial Council, over the issue.

'Flexibility needed'

Sinn Fein vice president Pat Doherty said when his party's discussions with the government resumed he hoped for "positive movements around the issues of demilitarisation and policing".

He said he hoped this would "allow the political institutions to move forward in the agreed way outlined in May last year".

However, Mr Doherty, an assembly member for west Tyrone, said the government needed to be more flexible than it had been in discussions before Christmas.

He said: "There was fairly intense dialogue with the British and Irish governments before the Christmas recess which did not reach any solid conclusion.

"What we need to do is resolve the outstanding issues."

"Elections are only a number of months off. We have a renewed opportunity and we hope that the British respond to that renewed opportunity," he said.

He added that the government needed to recognise that Mr Trimble "was in breach of the Good Friday Agreement" in banning Sinn Fein ministers from north-south meetings.

'Ultimatum denied'

On Monday morning Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson refuted claims that he had given nationalists a deadline over their participation in the Police Board.

But in a warning to nationalists he said it would be terrible if the current dispute sent a "torpedo" through the peace process.

Mandelson appealing to nationalists and republicans

This followed reports that some of the sweeping changes to policing proposed, had had to be shelved because of nationalist opposition to parts of the Police (NI) Act, which is based on the original recommendations made by an independent commission on policing headed by the former Hong Kong governor, Chris Patten.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster, Mr Mandelson said he was not trying to "bounce" anyone but he had a job to "advise parties when what they are doing risks the whole process".

He said the launch of the new police service was just weeks away.

"The only thing that could delay the implementation of those changes in the Patten Report, is if nationalists adopt the stance they criticised unionists for all that time ago.

"That is saying they will not take part until every last demand has been met."

Alex Attwood: Substantive issues to be resolved

However, Alex Attwood of the Social Democratic and Labour Party said while there had been a lot of progress on the policing issue, there needed to be more before the party could join the new board.

Mr Attwood, the party's policing spokesman said: "It is not, as has been suggested, relatively small issues, there remain substantive issues that will convince or not convince the nationalist and republican community that the new beginning is to be realised."

The SDLP is also to meet RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan on Wednesday morning.

Their latest meetings follow four hours of discussions between a party delegation and RUC Change Management Team led by the assistant chief constable on Friday.

Meanwhile, Alliance Party leader Sean Neeson called on nationalists and republicans to allow the peace process to move forward.

"I would urge the SDLP to nominate members to the Police Board and republicans must urgently move on their commitments from last May to put arms beyond use."