Allegations that republicans are not honouring promises made during the peace process are lies, Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams said tonight.
|
The West Belfast MP claimed republicans were "tired" of being lectured by others about dishonouring their obligations under the Belfast Agreement.
With republicans under pressure to deliver IRA disarmament, he accused unionists of finding it difficult to cope with his party's peace strategy.
He also argued the British government had been fixated at different times "with the difficulties besetting unionism or with the agendas set by elements within its own system.
"Republicans who are in for the long haul, real republicans like JB [O'Hagan] committed to making struggle and to empowering people and creating change and delivering equality and justice and building political strength, can at times be philosophical about this.
"But we can also become tired of being lectured too by British ministers or others about republicans not keeping promises when that is patently a lie, when that patently is propaganda."
Mr Adams was responding to criticism of the IRA in the wake of the last Hillsborough talks in March for not moving quickly enough on disarmament.
Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble warned last week the republican movement's failure to address the arms issue could topple the Areement.
Mr Adams was speaking during a graveside oration for veteran republican JB O'Hagan in Lurgan, Co Armagh.
PA