Unionist warns of 'concessions'

David Trimble and Gerry Adams: Still at loggerheads

A "heap of concessions" will be given to Sinn Fein to try to buy a gesture from the IRA on decommissioning, an anti-Agreement unionist has claimed.

Peter Robinson was speaking a day after devolution was restored to the province following a 24-hour suspension.

It bought an extra six weeks to try to break the political stalemate over the issues of IRA decommissioning, policing, British Army demilitarisation and the stability of the institutions.

Mr Robinson, the DUP's deputy leader, said he "wouldn't be surprised" if there were to be concessions to Sinn Fein during that time.

Peter Robinson: Made claim over "concessions"

"I think that will start with the implementation plan on policing, with the criminal justice review," he said.

"But there will be other concessions that will be made to Sinn Fein/IRA, as the secretary of state, a desperate man at the present time, attempts to buy their support and to get some meaningless gesture from them as far as decommissioning is concerned."

Earlier, Sinn Fein challenged the Northern Ireland secretary to explain why he believed a political breakthrough was "tantalisingly close".

Party president Gerry Adams said the only way for John Reid to prove this, was to move on "honouring the British Government's obligations" under the Good Friday Agreement.

But while Mr Adams rejected that the assembly was now working fully, he said republicans were still engaged with the process.

"At the weekend the Northern Ireland secretary said the resolution of the current problems was tantalisingly close, let him then put meat on the bones of this rhetoric," he said.

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Mr Adams called on Dr Reid to publish the policing plan, to move on demilitarisation and to stabilise the political institutions, partly by ensuring Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble returned as first minister.

The Ulster Unionist veto on Sinn Fein ministers Martin McGuinness and Bairbre de Brun attending North-South Ministerial Council meetings, must also be lifted, he said.

Mr Adams has also warned of the danger republicans would be alienated from the process by the decision to suspend the political institutions - a move asked for by Mr Trimble.

Asked what the IRA would do in terms of its continuing contacts with the international decommissioning commission he said: "I don't know. I'm sure that organisation will make its own decision in its own time."

However, speaking on BBC Radio Ulster on Monday, Ulster Unionist Economy Minister Sir Reg Empey said the six-week period must be used to secure actual IRA decommissioning.

Reg Empey: "Honour your obligations"

Sir Reg said republican comments of a threat to progress in the process because of suspension, and that republicans would not move on arms on British or unionist terms, was "codswallop".

He added: "We are only trying to get people to honour the commitment that they entered into and they are still using it as a bargaining chip.

"They are still using it to keep the whole process on tenterhooks and I think it is morally repugnant."

The current crisis in the process was precipitated by the Ulster Unionist leader's resignation on 1 July because the IRA had not started to disarm.

The British and Irish Governments have been trying to broker a resolution on the issues causing the deadlock.

Offer rejected

The recent blueprint for progress they presented to the pro-Agreement parties to try to break the impasse was not fully accepted.

Speculation is mounting that the IRA's proposal on how it would decommission its weapons may have been jeopardised by the suspension, and by unionist rejection of the offer.

The plan - to put its weapons permanently and verifiably beyond use - had been accepted by General John de Chastelain's international decommissioning body.

Dr Reid has said he would be "deeply disappointed if the IRA walked away" from its agreement.

Meanwhile, the SDLP has called on Dr Reid to publish details of the proposed implementation plan on policing.

The party's spokesman on policing, Alex Attwood, said: "What we are saying to the British Government is, let us now create further certainty on the issue of policing.

"Publish the implementation plan on policing which outlines in detail how the 175 Patten recommendations are going to be implemented."