No return to conflict - minister

500 people attended the meeting in the Guildhall

No group has the right to drag the community back into conflict, the deputy first minister has told a meeting in Londonderry.

Martin McGuinness, Gerry Adams and other members of Sinn Féin addressed 500 people in the Guildhall.

They outlined the party leadership's analysis of the political way forward, and invited criticism from the floor.

"It's not easy, it's not going to be easy in future, but this is the only road to go," said Mr McGuinness.

The Sinn Féin President, Gerry Adams, also spoke at the meeting.

"If we reflect back on this, the 10th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the last 40 years are a good measurement, considering what things were like in this city 40 years ago, what they were like on the island 40 years ago, what they were like for republicans 40 years ago, and what they're like now," said Mr Adams.

Earl Storey, a former Ulster Unionist Party member who now works for a Church of Ireland reconciliation group, Hard Gospel, also attended the meeting.

He called on other parties to follow Sinn Féin's example and invite criticism of their policies.

"This is a political party I've publicly had critical things to say to over the past, but I was interested in that the meeting actually happened, and that a panel of people invited criticism.

"I thought that was a process I'd like to see replicated in other parties - that sort of public discussion," he said.