<HTML><PRE>Subj:	Fwd: Belfast Telegraph: IRA ceasefire will hold
Date:	98-01-20 14:17:56 EST
From:	Buni1957
To:	DeeMcA, RedAxe66, Love irela, Connemara7
To:	FenianBoyo, JustaLocal
CC:	sean@cafes.net


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Forwarded Message: 
Subj:	 Belfast Telegraph: IRA ceasefire will hold
Date:	98-01-20 14:08:24 EST
From:	jdana@utxvms.cc.utexas.edu (J. Dana)
Sender:	owner-ireland_list@email.rutgers.edu
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Belfast Telegraph
20 January 1998

IRA ceasefire will hold
But Mowlam warns Ulster could face terror spiral

By Desmond McCartan and Martina Purdy

THE GOVERNMENT was hopeful today the IRA ceasefire will hold despite
escalating violence and Sinn Fein's opposition to the current talks
strategy.

Secretary of State Dr Mo Mowlam admitted there was a danger a spate of
tit-for-tat killings could plunge Northern Ireland into a downward spiral
of violence.

But she said she was encouraged by the fact the ceasefires already in place
were holding.

"That is good news for the talks process.

"But the very nature of tit-for-tat killings means that there is always a
threat that it is going to spiral down and get worse." Dr Mowlam said
parties at the talks - who were today engaged in delicate negotiations on
North- South issues - may have to change their stances.

Her comments follow a meeting between the Sinn Fein leadership and the
Prime Minister in Downing Street yesterday.

Both sides described the meeting as positive.

Dr Mowlam said Sinn Fein made clear their unhappiness to Tony Blair, but
indicated they would not walk away from talks.

"That is a good and positive statement, even though their discontent was
clear," she added.

According to a well- placed source in Downing Street, there had been no
suggestion from the party at last night's Number 10 session that the IRA
ceasefire was at risk.

Nor had there been mention of a threat of renewed violence if the
Government failed to meet republican criticism of the joint proposals, it
was emphasised.

"On the contrary, they were going out of their way to say that the recent
killings were an attempt to derail the process," said one source.

"They agreed that we must not be deflected from the democratic and peaceful
path." One of those present at the meeting said Sinn Fein's approach had
been "quite positive", although the Government acknowledges there are
"difficulties".

Mr Blair's spokesman said last night both the Prime Minister and Gerry
Adams had uttered "virtually the same words" about the recent killings.

The feeling was that they must not be allowed to get away with it.

He stressed: "It wasn't a shouting match. It wasn't banging the table.

"They put their concerns about the whole situation... as with the last
meeting, it was a proper discussion as opposed to people reading out
scripts." Speaking after the meeting Mr Adams stressed the need for an
all-Ireland settlement.

"Anyone who thinks an internal settlement is gong to work or some assembly
which has a few nationalist knobs stuck on is not living in the real
world." The Government today drew comfort from Sinn Fein's decision to
continue with the talks - a stance which has impressed Mr Blair.

There is speculation however that the IRA will review its ceasefire in March.

Elsewhere Sinn Fein spokesman Francie Molloy delivered a hardline speech in
Crossmaglen, in which he warned republicans would ensure any settlement
imposed over their head would be ungovernable.

"Let Britain and Dublin be warned," he said. "We have been sold out by
others in the past but we have no intention of selling out ourselves."


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From: "J. Dana" <jdana@utxvms.cc.utexas.edu>
Subject: Belfast Telegraph: IRA ceasefire will hold
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