The British and Irish governments, notwithstanding Sinn Fein's temporary expulsion from the talks, have stressed their resolve to see a political settlement in the next six weeks followed by joint North-South referendums in early May.
The Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, in the face of unionist anger at what they view as a very brief expulsion for Sinn Fein, justified the party returning to the talks on March 9th on the basis of the need for speedy progress in the final period of the process.
As Sinn Fein began a series of "intensive" street protests to highlight its opposition to the party's 17-day exclusion, Dr Mowlam and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, spoke of the process finally reaching "endgame".
"The endgame is close, that is why we have reached the decisions on the timings that we have," said Dr Mowlam. She told The Irish Times that the two governments were earnestly and seriously striving for a settlement by mid-April.
"We are aiming for a settlement by six weeks so that subsequently we can have enough time to prepare for referendums on the first Thursday in May," she said. Dr Mowlam stressed that the governments were determined to have a settlement to allow for joint North-South referendums on May 7th. But she said that any return to the talks for Sinn Fein was "crucially" dependent on the IRA ceasefire holding. Another breach of the ceasefire by the IRA would mean permanent expulsion for Sinn Fein.
The same warning applied to the Ulster Democratic Party (UDP), linked to the UDA, which returns to the talks on Monday after a four-week expulsion, and to the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP), associated with the UVF, which has not been indicted.
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, described the party's expulsion as "disgraceful", "a huge setback" and unjustified. He was somewhat equivocal, however, about whether Sinn Fein would return to the talks. "Sinn Fein is out, but Sinn Fein is not down," he said.
He has sought "urgent meetings" with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, and with the other parties during the course of the suspension. Mr Adams said Sinn Fein remained committed "to the search for peace". But when asked whether he would be back at Stormont on March 9th, he guardedly replied: "We will answer that question after we have had those meetings and after we have had some sense that the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister are prepared to rectify the situation which has been created by our expulsion."
Mr David Andrews indicated Government concern to placate Sinn Fein. He paid tribute to the party's engagement in the talks and said Mr Ahern would shortly meet Mr Adams. Sinn Fein, almost directly after its expulsion was announced, staged a number of protests, including demonstrations in Newry, and outside RUC stations in east, west and north Belfast. There were minor scuffles outside the Oldpark RUC station. A demonstration is planned for Derry today and there will be a major rally to Belfast City Hall tomorrow as well as a series of weekend protests. There were reports that the British army and RUC were keeping a relatively low profile in nationalist areas to try to prevent confrontations.
Mr Adams said nationalist anger at the expulsion was "palpable" but protests would be "disciplined". He emphasised that people must exercise their right to protest in a "calm, peaceful and democratic manner".
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader, Mr David Trimble, said that Sinn Fein would only miss six sessions of the talks. The brief suspension "degraded" the political process and human life.
The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley said the decision proved that the British government had "no respect for the victims of violence".
Mr David Adams of the UDP, while welcoming his party's return to talks after its four-week suspension prompted by UDA murders, said the governments were employing "double standards".
