SENATOR Edward Kennedy with what is believed to be White House backing, has put forward a two pronged plan to bring about an immediate IRA ceasefire and the admission of Sinn Fein to the peace talks when they resume in June.
The senator has called on the British Prime Minister, Mr Major, and the Labour leader, Mr Tony Blair, "to make a clear statement that if the IRA restores its ceasefire, then Sinn Fein will be admitted to the peace talks when they resume on the date which is now scheduled, June 3rd, with no further preconditions."
He also urges the IRA to restore its ceasefire "unequivocally, immediately and unconditionally". This would be "based on the firm commitments that should be made now by John Major and Tony Blair that, regardless of who is next British prime minister, Sinn Fein will be admitted into peace talks when they resume in June".
This would allow "12 ample weeks to test the bona fides of a new ceasefire before the talks resumed," he said. "It is in the highest interest of all who truly want peace to act, and act now.
The senator was speaking in New York where he received the award of Irish American of the Year from Irish America magazine.
The Fianna Fail leader Mr Bertie Ahern, who was also in New York and has just concluded a round of high level discussions, in Washington, welcomed the Kennedy initiative. Mr Ahern urged "both Governments and all parties concerned to put people before politics by responding positively" to the initiative.
Mr Ahern called on the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, "to give 100 per cent support" to the plan when he arrives in Washington for the St Patrick's Day ceremonies.
According to Congressman Peter King, "the US administration is aware of this proposal and I know that they find it very interesting - I discussed it with them earlier in the week."
Mr King, who was in Belfast recently, said that he has also been discussing such a proposal with Sinn Fein. "I am very confident this would be accepted by the IRA. Sinn Fein is espousing it," Mr King said.
A Government spokesman said last night that the position taken by Senator Kennedy is "entirely consistent" with the position that the Government took at the December Anglo Irish summit. This was that a "fixed date for Sinn Fein's entry to talks should have been set after the Christmas break - if there had been, at that time, an immediate, unequivocal and believable ceasefire".
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, welcomed the senator's remarks, but refused to be drawn on whether a pre election pledge would produce a new IRA ceasefire. Mr Kennedy's speech was positive and constructive, he said.