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8 August 2001
Sinn Fein response to the British and Irish government proposals of 1st August 2001
Speaking at a press conference the Sinn Fein Chief Whip Alex Maskey MLA said, The proposals put forward by the two governments explicitly recognise that the Good Friday Agreement has not been implemented thus far. This is an important development. The proposals put forward by the two governments provide a basis for progress if the governments have the political will to proceed.
Deficiencies continue to exist between the Agreement and the government s position.
In the short term the matter for Sinn Fein to decide on is whether to nominate to the Policing Board.
Sinn Fein will not nominate representatives to sit on the Policing Board at this time. Neither will we call on people to join or support this force. We will only be in a position to decide positively on these issues when the British government have closed the gap between their proposals and the requirements of the Good Friday Agreement.
In conclusion the governments proposals provide a basis for progress if the governments have the will to proceed.
We call on the UUP to fill the position of First Minister and to end their unlawful veto on the institutions. We call on the pro-agreement parties to work together to resolve these current difficulties. In particular, we call upon both governments to defend and implement the Agreement. Ends
FULL TEXT OF SINN FÉIN REPSONSE FOLLOWS
Sinn Fein is totally committed to full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement in all its aspects and in the terms agreed.
The Governments explicitly recognise that the Good Friday Agreement has not been implemented this far. That is a good development. We welcome that.
At our Ard Chomhairle meeting last Friday Sinn Fein acknowledged that notwithstanding our reservations on a number of key areas, the proposals >from the two governments provide a basis for further progress if the governments have the political will to proceed.
We spelt out plainly where deficiencies continue to exist between the Agreement and the government s position. These include policing, demilitarisation, the justice system and the political institutions.
THE I.I.C.D.
Sinn Fein fully supports the section of the Good Friday Agreement on the issue of decommissioning. Indeed our position on the issue of arms is much more advanced. We therefore welcome the report from the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD). This report marks a huge historical breakthrough in its determination that the IRA s representative s proposal initiates a process that will put IRA arms completely and verifiably beyond use .
The two governments, the UUP and other parties, should grasp the new opportunity that this unprecedented statement from the IICD creates. We should all now move speedily towards the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
Once again the IRA has demonstrated its commitment to the search for a lasting peace. The other parties need to match that commitment and should respond positively and constructively.
The IICD and the armed groups should be allowed to get on with the job of resolving the issue of arms.
POLICING AND JUSTICE
``Sinn Fein is fully committed to achieving a civic police service, which is accountable, representative of the community it polices and free from partisan political control.
``In the short term the matter for Sinn Fein to decide upon is whether to nominate to the Policing Board.
``Sinn Fein will not nominate representatives to sit on the policing board at this time. Neither will we call upon people to join or support this force. We will only be in a position to decide positively on these issues when the British government have closed the gap between their proposals and the requirements of the Good Friday Agreement.
On Saturday, 4 August, a party delegation met with the British Secretary of State, John Reid. Although some progress has been made the gap between the British government s policing plan and their declared objective of implementing the Patten recommendations and the requirements of the Good Friday Agreement remain significant.
The British government has committed itself to publishing a revised implementation plan on policing. They have not done this. This needs to happen. This is the people s agreement. They need to see what is being proposed on policing. They need to see that legislative amendments which the British government intends to make to its Police Act.
Three years on from the signing of the Good Friday Agreement we have yet to see the British government s implementation plan and draft legislation for the reform of the criminal justice system. This is germane to the creation of an acceptable policing service.
The British government has committed itself to publishing these in the future. The sooner, obviously, the better so that the electorate and their representatives can see what is being proposed.
INQUIRIES
There has been considerable controversy over the killing of Pat Finucane, Rosemary Nelson and Robert Hamill and there has been a campaign by their families for a full independent judicial inquiry into each case.
Sinn Fein has refused to make these high profile cases a matter for bargaining or bartering in negotiations on policing. Our position on this issue mirrors that of the families there should be a full, independent, judicial inquiry into each case and it should be initiated immediately. These families, and all others in that position, have the right to the truth.
DEMILITARISATION
While the British government s position on demilitarisation falls short of what we believe is required, the British government should move ahead anyway to do what it has said it will do.
CONCLUSION
As stated, the government s proposals provide a basis for further progress if the government s have the will to proceed.
``We will therefore call on the UUP to fill the position of First Minister and to end their unlawful veto on the institutions. We call upon the pro-agreement parties to work together to resolve these current difficulties. In particular, we call upon both governments to defend and implement the Good Friday Agreement.
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