'Pathway' to North deal laid out
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown today said a crunch summit to save the North’s power sharing government had failed to secure a settlement but insisted a “pathway” to an agreement had been laid.
However Sinn Féin expressed disappointmebt with the outcome of the talks, blaming the DUP for the failure to reach agreement.
Speaking alongside Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Mr Brown said three days of intensive negotiations between the main parties had seen progress made on the row surrounding stalled devolution of policing powers.
But he said the party leaders had now been given 48 hours to try to hammer out a deal. If they fail to do so, Mr Brown said, the British and Irish governments would publish their own plans for moving the process forward.
Mr Brown said: “We believe we have proposals that make for a reasonable deal on devolution of policing and justice, we believe we have proposals that make for a reasonable settlement on all the outstanding issues.”
But he added in regard to the 48-hour deadline: “If we judge that insubstantial progress has been made we will publish our own proposals.”
Sinn Féin has threatened serious consequences for the devolved administration without a swift transfer of law and order powers.
But the DUP has insisted it will only give the go-ahead when other outstanding issues, such as the management of controversial parades, are resolved.
Moments before the premiers wound up proceedings, tensions between the two main parties apparently reached boiling point at a round table plenary session, with Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness venting his anger that the summit had failed to secure a settlement.
Afterwards Mr Brown said he believed proposals to devolve policing powers to Stormont in May could be brought to a vote in the Assembly as early as March.
But he said the other issues had to be settled.
Mr Brown said: “The importance of these decisions for the future of Northern Ireland cannot be under-estimated. With leadership and courage they can be achieved.”
Sinn Féin said it was "deeply disappointed'' with the outcome of the talks and blamed DUP demands for a concession on loyal order parades for blocking an agreement.
Deputy First Minister Mr McGuinness, flanked by party colleagues including president Gerry Adams, said: “I believe we have displayed extraordinary patience and commitment over the past 18 months as we sought to persuade the Democratic Unionist Party to be partners of progress.
“Over recent days the two Governments have joined that effort.
“The decision by the DUP, at the behest of the Orange Order, to make the abolition of the Parades Commission a pre-condition for the transfer of powers on policing and justice flies in the face of all that.”
Mr Cowen and Mr Brown later left Hillsborough Castle together in a convoy.
Mr McGuinness claimed the demand had made agreement difficult, adding: ``Many are speculating that this was the real intention.''
He said that, despite progress on policing, no final deal had been agreed.
“I am very deeply disappointed about that,” he said.
The senior Republican had made his feelings known in a private meeting with party leaders and in subsequent meetings with the premiers.
The party would nevertheless study the proposals tabled by the two Governments, he said.
“But one thing is certain – and it is absolutely certain as far as we are concerned – that citizens’ rights and entitlements will not be made subject to a unionist veto or an Orange Order pre-condition.”
