1 December 1998

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Unionist obstruction only remaining obstacle

Statement from Sinn Fein assembly member for Foyle and Party Chairperson Mitchel McLaughlin on the current efforts to agree the establishment of the All-Ireland Policy and Implementation bodies.

Mr. McLaughlin said:

``Recent weeks have seen sensitive work on the nature and extent of the all-Ireland policy and implemenation bodies. All of this technical work has now been completed. Unionist obstruction is the only remaining obstacle to agreement on these bodies.

``The Irish government, Sinn Fein and the SDLP share the view that the all-island institutions must be substantive, dynamic and capable of further development.

``For Nationalists the most important institutional dimension of the agreement is the establishment of these all-Ireland institutions.

``The unionist strategy is aimed at hollowing out these structures. We have a responsibility to ensure that this does not happen. Unionism cannot be allowed to pocket the assembly and then, by resisting agreement on the other institutions, render them meaningless.''

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