No arms dump sealing - McGuinness
Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness today appeared to dismiss claims that the party was set to announce the sealing of an IRA arms dump in return for more concessions.
The Mid Ulster MP and Northern Ireland Education Minister said he had no knowledge of such a move, predicted by hardline Ulster Unionist MP David Burnside.
"I think Mr Burnside was being mischievous," said Mr McGuinness ahead of a meeting with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
Mr McGuinness, who is Sinn Fein’s chief negotiator added: "I certainly think I would have a good indication if we were approaching that type of scenario."
However there was "no indication whatsoever" given the failure of the British government to follow through pledges to scale down security in Northern Ireland at negotiations in Hillsborough in May last year, he said.
Other cross-border discussions were taking place today with Foreign Minister Brian Cowen due to meet Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid.
The two men were expected to consider the implications of elections which saw both Sinn Fein and Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists surge in popularity and the Ulster Unionists suffer humiliating losses.
Also on the agenda were warnings from First Minister David Trimble’s embattled UUP that they intended to plunge the peace process into deeper crisis over IRA disarmament.
Meanwhile Mr McGuinness indicated that his party would press for a move on demilitarisation and policing at his party’s meeting with Mr Ahern.
"Those discussions will centre on the need to get the British Government to live up to the promises it made," he said.
Demands for further police reform were also expected to be raised by Mr McGuinness and party president Gerry Adams who were to be accompanied at the talks by the party’s two new Westminster MPs, Michelle Gildernew and Pat Doherty.
Yesterday Mr Trimble vowed to see through his threat to resign as Northern Ireland First Minister on July 1 if the IRA did not substantially disarm.
Speaking after talks with Tony Blair in Downing Street, he said: "If we come to the end of this month which the Government had set as the period for full implementation of the (Good Friday) Agreement and we find that the Agreement with regards to decommissioning has not be implemented, then I am absolutely determined to follow through in terms of drawing a line and causing a crisis in the institutions by resigning.
"We specifically warned the Prime Minister about getting into a situation of so-called negotiation where the republicans will sit on the same horse for the umpteenth time.
"It really is a time where promises should be kept, obligations should be carried out and we shouldn’t have this sort of situation."
Sources close to Mr Trimble are expecting a challenge to his leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party following the loss of four Westminster seats since the 1997 General Election and 31 council seats since the last local government poll also in 1997.
It is believed a leadership bid may be launched by either veteran South Belfast MP, the Rev Martin Smyth or Lagan Valley MP, Jeffrey Donaldson at the annual meeting of the UUP’s ruling council on June 23.
