NORTHERN IRELAND: ULSTER UNIONIST PARTY BACKS PEACE ACCORD

Описание: (18 Apr 1998) English/Nat

Northern Ireland's main Protestant party strongly backed the peace agreement on Saturday, as its leader challenged the Irish Republican Army to disavow violence once and for all.

Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble won backing from 72 per cent of the party's governing council, despite strong opposition within his own ranks and from rival Protestant parties.

As they arrived for the conference in Belfast on Saturday morning, Ulster Unionist delegates were given a dramatic reminder of the divisions in Northern Ireland.

While one hundred former Protestant printers shouted their approval of the peace agreement, supporters of hardline Unionist leader Ian Paisley, called for a "no" vote in the May 22nd referendum.

Ulster Union Party leader David Trimble won backing from 72 per cent of the party's governing council, despite strong opposition within his own ranks and from rival Protestant parties.

He had threatened to call on British Prime Minister Tony Blair to call off the May 22 referendum and kill the compromise if the Stormont accord had not been approved.

Instead Northern Ireland's biggest political party lined up strongly behind the peace agreement.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams welcomed the Ulster Unionist vote at his party's convention in Dublin.

But he said his party would not seek an equally fast decision from the grassroots.

Adams announced there would be a two-week review of the agreement before the party's conference reconvenes.

Some of Sinn Fein's supporters are unhappy that Northern Ireland will continue to be governed by Britain.

They are also unhappy that the Irish government has agreed to a referendum on Ireland's constitutional claim to the province.

Unionists have been particularly concerned that the British government has agreed to review policing and the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland.

They have sought assurances that no allies of the paramilitary groups will be allowed to take government offices unless full weapons decommissioning takes place.

Trimble said he shared those concerns and would press for firmer guarantees.

An opinion poll published last week which showed 61 per cent of Irish voters saying they would support constitutional change.

He said a much stronger vote was essential.

But Trimble said the result of the Ulster Unionist Party vote was a sound basis on which to move ahead with the peace agreement.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We are satisfied with the result. It is in line with the result in the party executive the previous Saturday, and in line with predictions in the press, and so it is obviously a sound basis on which we can proceed."
SUPER CAPTION: David Trimble, Ulster Unionist leader

Trimble went on to challenge the Irish Republican Army to disavow violence once and for all.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think the question that has to be put now to Sinn Fein is are they prepared to finally, irrevocably renounce violence. That is the question now. That question must be put to them. They have got an agreement. They have got an opportunity to move into the democratic process. They can see the opportunities that are there. But the price must be a genuine renunciation of violence - a permanent peace."
SUPER CAPTION: David Trimble, Ulster Unionist leader

Just eight days earlier, Trimble and leaders of seven other parties had concluded an agreement to set up a Northern Ireland legislature which would be obliged to work with the Irish Republic on some areas of policy.

The leader of the major Catholic party welcomed the vote.

SOUNDBITE: (English)






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