McGuinness mirrors Adams speech in New York
In New York, Sinn Fein chief negotiator Mr McGuinness made a speech mirroring Mr Adams’s but also calling for the support of the Irish-American community.
Mr McGuinness said he wanted the events of September 11 to be used to produce a positive outcome to the peace process.
He said: ‘‘For me the events of September 11 in New York and Washington and in Pennsylvania have given added urgency and incentive to those of us in Northern Ireland who want to bring our peace process to a conclusion.
‘‘We are facing into a crisis, this time a potentially terminal crisis.’’
Under questioning after his speech Mr McGuinness said there was intense pressure on all sides as a result of the resignations of the Ulster Unionist ministers from the Northern Ireland Executive.
‘‘All of us within the political process are very, very conscious that the Ulster Unionist ministers have resigned their positions on the Executive and that in itself is a real difficulty for all of us in the political system because we are told that six days after these resignations they cannot be legally reversed.
‘‘If we do not see a breakthrough in the peace process we could by the end of the week conceivably be seeing a collapse in the peace process and all the dangers that brings.’’
Mr McGuinness refused to speculate on a time scale for a response from the IRA.
‘‘I am content to await the response of the IRA and think all of us should be content to do that.
‘‘This is a difficult issue for Irish Republicans.
‘‘At this critical moment I think we have to listen to our words when we ask Republicans to remain united, to remain behind the Sinn Fein leadership.
‘‘I’m prepared to wait. I’m prepared to wait and hope that our endeavours will be successful.’’
Mr McGuinness refused to speculate on what would happen if Sinn Fein was not successful in seeking ‘‘a breakthrough’’ from the IRA.
He also refused to divulge exactly what he and Mr Adams had told the IRA leadership in their talks, which he said had taken place at the same time as talks with the British, Irish and American governments.
He also made an appeal for the support of the Irish-American community, which he said had been ‘‘four-square’’ behind Sinn Fein since the Good Friday Agreement.
‘‘I want to appeal to friends of peace, of equality, justice and Irish freedom here in the United States to stand by the Good Friday Agreement at this most critical time in our history.’’
