The long-awaited Cory Report into contentious killings in Northern Ireland is to be published by the British government by Easter, SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan said today.
Mr Durkan said he was informed of the timescale for publication by British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Northern Secretary Paul Murphy during a meeting at 10 Downing Street this afternoon.
He welcomed the plan to publish the Canadian judge's report into deaths where collusion by security forces had been alleged. But he expressed concern over Mr Blair's unwillingness to commit himself to a public inquiry in any cases where Judge Cory recommends it.
Last week a Belfast High Court judge adjourned another judicial review taken by the family of murdered Catholic solicitor Pat Finucane against the British government's failure to publish Judge Cory's report.
Mr Justice Gillen ordered the British government to produce a date for publication by the next court hearing on March 22nd. Judge Cory has told the families concerned that he has recommended public inquiries.
Mr Seamus Tracey QC, for the Finucane family, argued the right to a public inquiry was a separate issue from the failure to publish the Cory report, and that both cases centred on the British government's slowness to act.
He said that despite being given Judge Cory's report in October 2003, the British had done nothing to start establishing a public inquiry, and he cited the timescale of the Saville inquiry into Bloody Sunday, in which the opening statement was not heard until two years after it was first set up.