The Irish and British governments must not repackage proposals for a shadow Assembly in their blueprint for devolution in Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein said today.
Gerry Adams (right) talks to Francie Molloy at Sinn Fein' National Elected Representatives Forum in Dublin's Writers' Museum today.
As the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the British prime minister Tony Blair continued to work on proposals for restoring the Northern Ireland Assembly, Gerry Adams expressed concern for the second time in three days about the two leaders' approach.
He told Sinn Fein's National Elected Representatives Forum in Dublin's Writers' Museum that the coming weeks would be critical for politics in Northern Ireland.
"Several weeks ago Sinn Fein resolutely opposed any halfway house, in-between, transitional, interim or shadow Assembly. That remains our position," the West Belfast MP said.
"If there is to be an Assembly in the north (of Ireland), then it has to be the Assembly contained in the
Gerry Adams
Good Friday Agreement.
"Although it only worked for a short time it was popular and relatively efficient.
"However the current approach of the governments to the restoration of the political institutions is a source of significant concern."
Mr Adams said there was no future in the governments tampering with the 1998 agreement as a sop to the Reverend Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists.
"Rather than looking at how they can change the Good Friday Agreement to suit the DUP, the governments need to be coming forward with propositions which are about implementing the Good Friday Agreement and then endeavouring to get the DUP on board," he argued.
"Our party obviously will look at whatever proposals the governments produce and we are in daily contact with them.
"But there is no point in the governments withdrawing proposals a month ago and then repackaging the same proposals and trying to represent them as something else."
It is understood Mr Blair and Mr Ahern will travel to Northern Ireland on April 6th to present their roadmap for reviving devolution.
They are believed to be considering recalling the Assembly in May, giving the Northern Ireland parties six weeks to form a power-sharing government.
If that proves impossible, legislation could be introduced at Westminster to park Stormont over the difficult summer marching season, with the Assembly returning in September.
The 108 Assembly members would be given work to do at a committee level on the review of public administration, water charges, rates and education.
However they will also be given a deadline in December to form an inclusive executive which if they do not meet will result in the Assembly's suspension.