Murphy to meet unionists for post-election talks
Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy was today meeting a delegation from the anti-Agreement Democratic Unionist Party to discuss the way forward after the Assembly elections.
The DUP, which has emerged as the largest party at Stormont with 30 seats, is demanding a re-negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement.
But Mr Murphy has said the fundamental principles of the Agreement such as power-sharing, north-south institutions and consent are not up for discussion.
“The Agreement says we should review the operation, the workings of the Good Friday Agreement.
“What it gives is an opportunity to the parties in the Assembly to talk about the issues that affect them.”
This is unlikely to satisfy the DUP which became the largest party in the Assembly with 30 seats with its call for a “fair deal”.
The DUP's Peter Robinson said that republicans must not be allowed in government until the IRA disbands.
“They must give up violence. They must stand down their terror machines. They must hand over their weapons of destruction that have been held illegally.”
The Northern Ireland Secretary is resisting demands from nationalists to lift the suspension of the powersharing administration.
Both Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams and SDLP leader Mark Durkan have said devolution must be restored as soon as possible.
But Mr Murphy said it would be highly unlikely that the parties could agree to form an Executive within the six week time period.
The Northern Ireland Secretary said: “I don’t think we should unsuspend and restore it now. I don’t think that would be wise.
“Everybody knows that if we restored the Assembly tomorrow then we would have six weeks according to the rules to establish a Government. It doesn’t take a political genius to work out it’s highly unlikely.”
Bertie Ahern, who has invited the DUP to Dublin for talks with an “open agenda”, said there was scope for discussion of many of the DUP’s issues within the present peace process.
He said: “The election has thrown up some imponderables that we just have to now manage our way through but that is the will of the people of Northern Ireland and now the two governments have to get on with it.”
The DUP had identified shortfalls in the Agreement over accountability, stability, efficiency and effectiveness that could be looked at, he said.
“They are issues that I have no problem dealing with. I think stability is a fair enough issue for the DUP to argue about … with four suspensions of the institutions during the course of the Agreement.”
Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble, whose party secured 27 seats in last week’s poll, could face a leadership challenge when his Assembly party meets tomorrow.
He faces a showdown with his bitter rival, Jeffrey Donaldson, who is calling on him to resign.
Supporters of Mr Trimble have called on the Lagan Valley MP and MLA to support the leadership or leave the party.
