Sinn Fein Threatens to Boycott Peace Talks Over Security Concerns

Sinn Fein, the Irish nationalist party, has turned the tables on the British Government with a threat to boycott the ongoing peace talks in Northern Ireland. The party's president, Gerry Adams, and chairman, Mitchel McLaughlin, expressed their frustration with the process, stating that Sinn Fein's supporters are losing faith in the negotiations. Adams demanded a meeting with Prime Minister Tony Blair to address the issue, claiming that the process is "fundamentally flawed" and that the party was ejected without evidence linking it to recent IRA murders. The party's national executive is set to meet soon to decide future policy, and it remains unclear whether the party will return to the talks on March 9.

Key Takeaways:

  • Sinn Fein's national executive is set to meet soon to decide future policy regarding the peace talks.
  • Gerry Adams, the party's president, demanded a meeting with Prime Minister Tony Blair to address the party's concerns about the process being "fundamentally flawed".
  • The party claims that they were given no evidence linking them to recent IRA murders and were ejected from the talks at the insistence of Unionists.
  • The talks resume this morning with Sinn Fein absent, and the Ulster Democratic Party reinstated after a one-month expulsion.
  • Nationalists are furious at Sinn Fein's ejection from the talks, with only a few hundred supporters attending a rally in Belfast.
  • Sinn Fein officials say they are in difficulty convincing people that there is any benefit in returning to the talks.

Statistics:

  • No specific statistics are mentioned in the article.
  • The talks resume this morning, March 9, is mentioned as the possible return date for Sinn Fein.

Sources:

  • The Times, Copyright (C) The Times, 1998