Unionists threaten political package

Blair and Ahern: Proposals have now been finalised

Leading Ulster Unionists have threatened not to sign up to the new package prepared by the British and Irish Governments aimed at breaking the political stalemate in Northern Ireland.

The governments have concluded negotiations and are expected to forward the proposals to the parties on Friday.

However, Ulster Unionist assembly member Fred Cobain said if speculation about the contents of the package was correct, then his party would not be signing up to it.

The political process has been deadlocked over the issues of arms, policing, demilitarisation and the stability of the political institutions.

The current crisis was brought to a head by the resignation of Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble as Northern Ireland first minister on 1 July because the IRA had not begun to disarm.

Executive ministers

Speaking on Tuesday, Ulster Unionist minister Sir Reg Empey said the issue of paramilitary weapons had to be addressed.

Sir Reg, the Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister, said his party was "not prepared to allow Sinn Fein to continue as executive ministers while the IRA continues to break its public promise to decommission its weaponry".

"If the proposed package does not deal with the decommissioning issue effectively, then it is unacceptable," he said.

Sir Reg: "Paramilitary weapons must be addressed"

Mr Cobain accused the two governments of indulging in a one-sided process.

He warned the governments that if they put forward the proposals being suggested, they would be "rejected outright" by the UUP.

"The governments must place the burden of resolving this impasse on those who have brought it about - Sinn Fein/IRA," he said.

"Both prime ministers should think very carefully about how they proceed in the next few days. They could be on the brink of destroying everything."

However, Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly accused Mr Cobain of "jumping the gun".

He said republicans were looking to the governments to bridge the gap from what was discussed at the recent Weston Park talks and the Good Friday Agreement.

SDLP Assembly member Alban Maginness said his party would be judging the package against the Patten report on policing.

David Trimble: Crisis sparked by resignation

The Democratic Unionist Party met the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Dr John Reid, on Tuesday to demand the party gets access to the governments' package.

Following the 90-minute meeting, the party criticised the UK Government's refusal to give any details of the package.

Deputy leader Peter Robinson claimed the proposals may never be made public if they are not endorsed by the pro-Agreement parties.

"They will take stock after the pro-Agreement parties have seen the document as to whether the public and indeed its representatives by the Ulster Democratic Unionist Party will ever see that document," he said.

"I think it's absolutely outrageous that the secretary of state is not prepared to give an undertaking that at some stage the DUP will see these proposals."

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Document

The "non-negotiable" document followed five days of intensive talks brokered by the British and Irish prime ministers at Weston Park in Staffordshire early in July.

Following Mr Trimble's resignation, there were six weeks available to the parties to find a resolution by 12 August.

At the end of that period, if there has been no deal, the British Government will have to either suspend the assembly - even if only for a short period to give more room for manoeuvre - or call an assembly election.