11th April 2003

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Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness meet Richard Haas

Joint Declaration should be published now

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams MP and Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness MP are meeting with US Ambassador Richard this afternoon. Speaking before the meeting Mr. Adams said:

``I look forward to meeting the Ambassador again. His visit is a measure of the continued interest of the US government and especially of Irish America in our peace process.

``I spoke to the Ambassador on Tuesday morning and I believe that he is very familiar with all of the issues and the difficulties confronting us.

``I have also spoken today to the British and Irish governments.

``Sinn Fein's focus in on making the Good Friday Agreement work of getting it implemented in full. That is what we collectively agreed five years ago. That is what people want.

``Our discussions with the two governments on the measures needed to implement the Agreement are in my view now finished. There are critical issues, which have yet to be properly dealt with. But in our discussions with the governments we told them several days ago that the negotiations are concluded. There is now, therefore, no reason or excuse for the governments to delay the publication of their plan their Joint Declaration - setting out how they intend to complete the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Then let others respond to it, including the armed groups, including the IRA.

``But we should not lose sight of what this is about. It is about implementing an Agreement that guarantees peoples rights and entitlements. These are not concessions to be given or held at the behest or veto of any one else, whether a government, a political party or an armed group.''

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