Talks hinge on arms handover
HISTORIC first talks between Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA, and a British minister began yesterday with little sign of any willingness by the republicans to hand over their arms.
Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Patrick Mayhew insisted the first talks at such a level since a clandestine meeting between the IRA and ministers 23 years ago were only talks about talks.
He made clear Sinn Fein could still not be expect to be treated like any other political party - as it repeatedly insists - because of the IRA's unwillingness to hand over its armoury of weapons and explosives and its continued desire to use them for political purposes.
The Sinn Fein delegation was led by vice-chairman Martin McGuinness and the British Government team by minister Michael Ancram as the two sides sat down at Stormont Castle.
'Today sees the fall of yet another obstacle on the road to peace and I fervently hope that it will be the last,' Mr McGuinness said on arrival.
Mr Ancram said the IRA cease-fire last September, though welcome, had not convinced his government and the province's pro-British Protestant politicians of Sinn Fein's commitment to democracy.
An agreement to disarm gradually would provide that proof and be Britain's goal in talks, Mr Ancram said.
The British Government knows it will have to keep the talks going at the present level for some time because politicians on the unionist side have made clear they are not prepared to sit around the table with a group they regard as a front for terrorism.
But Sinn Fein national chairman Mitchel McLaughlin said he believed his party would satisfy the Government on the sincerity of its position on the weapons, although he insisted on still linking their retention to the party's call for the mainly Protestant Royal Ulster Constabulary to be disbanded.
