'Negative politics' behind loyalist anger

UVF say loyalists being 'airbrushed' out of the process

A negative approach by the Ulster Unionists towards talks aimed at restoring the Northern Ireland Assembly has contributed to loyalist paramilitary frustrations, Sinn Fein's Bairbre de Brun has said.

Speaking to the BBC, Ms de Brun said the Ulster Volunteer Force's sense of alienation about the peace process was concerning.

The former health minister also said it was worrying that the Progressive Unionist Party had broken off contact with Sinn Fein.

On Friday, the UVF suspended all contacts with the arms decommissioning body headed by General John de Chastelain.

Ms de Brun said: "The fact that they (the UUP) have consistently said from the beginning of last year that they were going to being down the institutions... sets a scene and sets a context in which the PUP reacts as a smaller unionist party within that bigger sea.

"At a time when there are some signals that we need to look at and flesh out more - of a possible more pragmatic stance from the DUP - it is regrettable that it is the UUP that are setting the agenda for no movement, no change and setting an agenda to which other react."

However, speaking on BBC's Inside Politics programme, Ulster Unionist assembly member Dermot Nesbitt said his party was not negative.

"We want to see this Belfast Agreement fully implemented," he said.

"We want to see all paramilitarism gone out of Northern Ireland."

'Across the board'

PUP leader David Ervine said the continuing targeting of unionists by the IRA was causing disquiet within loyalism.

He said there would be further evidence of the extent of the IRA's targeting in the coming days.

Bairbre de Brun: "Worrying move"

The PUP assembly member said the UVF's decision was "confirmation of the degree of dismay within the unionist community".

"The whole of unionism, right across the board, is saying enough is enough."

However, Sinn Fein denied republicans were responsible for the UVF decision.

Following Mr Ervine's comments, a Downing Street spokesman insisted the process was not one-sided and that the principle of consent remained at the heart of the Good Friday Agreement.

Tony Blair is due to meet the Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern for talks in London next week.

The disillusionment is a result of the reality that this has been a one way process to appease republican violence

Sammy Wilson

The PUP announcements come after a statement from the leadership of the UVF and associated loyalist paramilitary group, the Red Hand Commando, blaming the IRA for what it called "the current dearth of confidence in the process".

The UVF statement accused the IRA of "the wholesale targeting of the pro-union population" - a reference to alleged intelligence gathering in recent months.

Sammy Wilson of the Democratic Unionist Party said the move was evidence of Protestant disenchantment with the way the process has been going.

"The disillusionment is a result of the reality that this has been a one way process to appease republican violence," he said.

Last week, the PUP withdrew from talks aimed at restoring devolution to the province.

David Ervine said the governments were excluding him from the real negotiations.

Following the collapse of power-sharing at Stormont, current legislation dictates that the British and Irish Governments must review the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement on which devolution was based.

Both the governments have stressed that there will be no re-negotiation of the Agreement.