| It now appears Thursday's deadline
for agreement in
northern talks is in doubt with negotiations at Stormont Castle in Belfast progressing only slowly or not at all. The presentation of a long-delayed draft agreement by talks chairman, former US Senator George Mitchell, is likely to be postponed once again as unionists slam the brakes on talks. It had been expected to be published on Friday, but this was delayed until yesterday, then to 4pm today, then 10pm, and may be delayed again, according to the latest reports. Plans for a new northern assembly and all-Ireland institutions, the two core areas of negotiation between unionists and nationalists, remain at the heart of the continuing disagreement. Unionists are seeking a loose arrangement for the governance of the Six Counties in a new northern assembly. While the nationalist SDLP is seeking a power-sharing executive, unionists have sought a loose system of committees and chairpersons. Describing the SDLP proposals as "unwieldy and impractical", unionists have pushed their system which would enhance the power of their built-in majority and marginalise Republicans. The committee system is modelled on Belfast City Council, where despite lacking an overall majority, unionists have succeeded through a series of political alliances in controlling most of power of the council through its committees. Trimble's Ulster Unionist Party are also reportedly opposing plans for the use of the "sufficient consensus" rule for reaching agreement in the new assembly. The rule would require any measure before the body winning the support of a majority of the unionist representatives as well as a majority of the nationalist representatives before decisions could be reached. Nationalists fear that the built-in unionist majority in the Six Counties could abuse its dominant position in a new assembly, not least by sabotaging new cross-border institutions which form the other controversial element of the proposed agreement. These north-south bodies including a council of ministers from the northern assembly and the Dail [legislature] in Dublin should have real powers and be "veto-proof", say nationalists. Unionists appear to be hoping their control of the new assembly will ensure the new all-Ireland bodies, which they fear could become an embryonic all-Ireland government, will quickly wither away through disuse. Sinn Fein chairman Mitchel McLaughlin said earlier today that despite the difficulties, he believed the remaining problems standing in the way of a deal could be sorted out. He told BBC Radio: "Yes, the question is whether they can be sorted out in time for the talks deadline, but yes I believe they can be sorted. "My view is we can in fact put together that kind of arrangement with political and constitutional, if you like, gestures towards all sides that will make a final settlement of this problem possible and within reach." He made it clear that Sinn Fein expected to see some movement on the prisoners issue. "That clearly will be part of the deal. We have made it obvious that if there was a situation where for example we still had prisoners, and the British Army profile, the fully armed police service on the streets, then clearly for the ordinary person on the street, the deal hadn't worked. "So I think that has been appreciated all around and there is now talk of putting people to work at the Commission level within a very specific time-frame to advance these situations across the range of justice issues that affect the entire community." He believed a historic deal could be arrived at by the end of the week "with the caveat that none of us can predict with any accuracy whether or not the deal will stick". But he elements of a deal had been there for some time, he said, adding that "both prime ministers have moved the situation along quite significantly in the past few days". There was pessimism from Ulster Unionist quarters. Ulster Unionist Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson, one of his party's senior negotiators, said: "One has to be realistic and recognise fundamental differences have to be resolved. Its not clear at this stage if they can be resolved." Mr Donaldson added: "We want to see an agreement, but not one at any price. "We will not be signing up to an agreement which would fundamentally undermine Northern Ireland's position within the UK." Irish Foreign Minister David Andrews suggested today that the parties should agree to a vow of silence between now and Wednesday. "We are living in a democracy and it is my judgment, but maybe we should allow Senator Mitchell do the talking on behalf of the various groups," he said. But with pressure mounting on all sides, particularly the unionists, to compromise, it is unlikely that any of the leaders will be prepared to stay quiet outside the gates of Castle Buildings. Last night the British Prime Minister Blair briefed United States President Bill Clinton on the current situation in a 20-minute telephone call, most of which concerned the situation in Ireland. Meanwhile, the Irish Prime Minister, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was coping with the death yesterday of his 87-year-old mother, who suffered a heart attack. Her funeral is to take place on Wednesday. |