We'll wait for right deal, says DUP chairman
The Democratic Unionists (DUP) will hold out for the right deal instead of a rushed one, a senior member of the party insisted today.
In an attack on the rival Ulster Unionists, DUP chairman Lord Morrow insisted his party would not be making the same mistakes Reg Empey’s party had made in previous negotiations.
As the North’s politicians prepared for hothouse talks next month in Scotland aimed at restoring power sharing, the Fermanagh and South Tyrone Assembly Member said no-one in his party believed Sinn Féin would be able to meet its obligations by the November 24 deadline if republicans continued at their present pace.
“What matters is that the republican movement meets the requirements of democracy,” he stressed.
“Deeds and not deadlines will lead to devolution.
“The policy of the UUP has been roundly rejected by the unionist electorate.
“The unionist community does not want to see a repeat of the errors of the UUP. The DUP will not be making the same mistakes that the UUP did.
“Our steadfast negotiating style has yielded much more from the republican movement than the weak, pushover approach of the UUP.
“We will hold out for nothing short of a complete end to all republican illegality and we are right to do so.
“Our approach is paying off and we will hold out for the right deal and not a rushed one.
“It is conditions that must be met and not some contrived date on a calendar.”
Earlier this year Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British prime minister Tony Blair are set November 24 as the deadline for political progress.
Next month’s talks involving the Ahern, Blair and the various party leaders at St Andrew’s will indicate if a deal is possible by then.
Both leaders hope a report next week by the four-member Independent Monitoring Commission will provide the right mood music for the talks by confirming the IRA has significantly moved to end criminal and paramilitary activity.
However the DUP, the North’s largest party, remains to be convinced the IRA has ended all criminal and paramilitary operations.
Ian Paisley’s party has also raised concerns about Sinn Féin’s attitude to IRA crime.
They have also argued that Gerry Adams’ party cannot be a credible partner in government if it continues its policy of refusing to endorse the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
During a visit to the Labour Party conference in Manchester yesterday, Mr Paisley also called for a fresh election to endorse any deal.
That possibility was not ruled out by Northern Secretary Peter Hain on his return to Belfast from the conference.
Following a speech earlier this week from Lord Morrow in the Assembly, which appeared to rule out the prospect of devolved government by November 24, Ulster Unionist leader Reg Empey yesterday queried why the governments were bothering to hold talks in Scotland.
The DUP peer, however, accused the Ulster Unionists of having a track record of settling for second best, sharing power with Sinn Féin on three occasions while the IRA remained active.
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