THE belief is hardening at Westminster that former US Senator [George Mitchell will be invited to a key role in the all party negotiations due to start on June 10th. It emerged last night that Mr David Trimble, the Ulster Unionist leader, has written to President Clinton seeking assurances about the US administration's commitment to the Mitchell Report and its proposals for "parallel decommissioning" during the talks process.
Senior British government and Ulster Unionist sources refused to rule out the possibility of Mr Mitchell's reinvolvement last night, as the British Prime Minister, Mr Major, and Mr Trimble held 90 minutes of talks about the arrangements for the negotiation process to follow the North's elections on May 30th.
The need for acceptance of the Mitchell Report's "six principles" dominated the meeting the second in a week - between Mr Major and the Ulster Unionist leader.
But Mr Trimble appeared to reject the possibility favoured by Dublin - that Mr Mitchell might serve as the "independent chairman" of the entire talks process.
British government efforts appeared focused on securing agreement on Mr Mitchell as chairman of the Strand 2 North/South negotiations. While doubts were cast on Mr Mitchell's likely availability for the full duration of the process, one senior British source told The Irish Times the former senator could not be chairman of the "internal" Strand 1 talks involving the North's parties and the British government.
However, with acceptance of the Mitchell Report considered central to the outcome of the entire process, the expectation is that the former senator will be asked to assume a "trouble shooting" role. And there was speculation at Westminster last night that this could see Mr Mitchell in talks with the Northern Ireland parties ahead of the June 10th starting date.
Speaking after his Downing Street meeting with Mr Major, Mr Trimble told reporters: "The main difficulty is just precisely how the Mitchell principles would be handled." Mr Trimble continued: "There will have to be decommissioning (of weapons). It will have to take place. The suggestion in the Mitchell Report is that it take place alongside the talks. But, of course, for us to have sufficient confidence to take part in those, we need to be assured that it will, in fact, happen."
Mr Trimble said the Mitchell principles had to be addressed first, and after that the agenda for the talks and the timetable.
Asked about Sinn Fein suggestions that the process might be completed within a six to nine month period, the UUP leader said the legislation enabling the elective process established "a two year time limit."
British government sources appeared to take a somewhat different line on the timetable issue, pointing out that the initial period provided was for 12 months, with the possibility of extension by no more than a further 12 months and of an earlier end should the Secretary of State decide the negotiations had been stalled or ended.