The SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, told his party conference "equality of allegiance" was a key requirement for a Northern settlement. If the parties agreed new arrangements which equally enjoyed the allegiance of nationalists and unionists, "would that not allow unionists a greater sense of confidence in the stability and viability of those arrangements?" He stressed there could be no agreed solution without the unionists.
"Let me add that there can be no agreed solution against the unionists," he said. " We want an agreement with unionists. We need a solution that will have their allegiance as well as ours. It would be nice to hear unionist leaders sincerely say the same thing about the rest of us."
Mr Hume said equality of allegiance would change political relationships in the North. "By providing essential political equality it would provide a basis for real and developing partnership." None of this would threaten unionist tradition, ethos or identity: "It would actually offer unionists more positive reflection of their legitimate interests and more meaningful assurance than could any Westminster laws or British government declarations which they do not fully trust and nationalists do not subscribe to."
Mr Seamus Mallon said under any new arrangements there must be a North-South institution with executive powers. Without it there would be no agreement on internal arrangements under Strand One: "Without it there is no agreement sustainable. Without it there will be no agreement that will be validated properly by referendum." Mr Mallon has dismissed as "highly entertaining speculation" a Sunday newspaper report that he was planning to retire from Westminster at the next election.
The outgoing chairman, Mr Jonathan Stephenson, won a third term in office, defeating the other candidate, Mr Joe Byrne of West Tyrone, by 126 votes to 116.
The conference slogan was "Working for Agreement." The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said in a message: "Thanks in good part to the efforts of John Hume and his party colleagues, who have been a consistent voice for peaceful, democratic and non-sectarian politics in Northern Ireland for over 25 years, the peace process was put back on track, so that inclusive all-party talks could begin.
"We all now share the challenge of making them a success through a deep engagement in negotiation. The Government looks forward to working very closely with the SDLP as a key partner to achieve a political settlement over the coming months."
There was also a message from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, who said the achievement of multi-party negotiations against the background of an IRA ceasefire owed much to the "vision, wisdom and courage of the SDLP under the inspiring leadership of John Hume and Seamus Mallon".