Adams rejects agitation claims
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams today denied that republicans were engaged in a strategy of creating agitation on the streets in Northern Ireland.
The West Belfast MP told the launch of a festival programme in his constituency that nationalists needed to pull back from anything which could be seized upon by people opposed to the Good Friday Agreement.
He also called for violence from any quarter on the streets to stop.
Mr Adams told the West Belfast Festival programme launch: ‘‘There are some unionists who believe there is a republican strategy about creating street agitation, that there is some great plan and there is not.
‘‘It drives nationalists and republicans crazy to believe that someone would think there is a strategy in place which could bring down the Good Friday Agreement.
‘‘However many unionists believe that is the case. That is the sentiment in unionism which is being wound up by anti-Agreement elements, that is the sentiment that is being used and exploited.
‘‘So what is the import of these remarks?
‘‘The import of these remarks is that despite provocation, despite the difficulties, despite the real threat encountered by nationalist communities on the interface, nobody should do or say anything that plays into the hands of the anti-Agreement agenda.
‘‘Street disturbances should stop. Communities should not have to endure the nightly trauma that they have been going through.’’
Mr Adams was commenting ahead of talks later this week in Northern Ireland involving the Prime Minister Tony Blair, An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and pro-Good Friday Agreement parties.
Mr David Trimble’s Ulster unionists have called on the Prime Minister and his Government to reprimand Sinn Fein because of doubts about republican intentions towards the peace process.
They have accused republicans of orchestrating street violence in recent weeks.
