The UK Unionist leader, Mr Robert McCartney, has said the Belfast Agreement has led to a more dangerous political situation for Northern Ireland than at any other time in its history.
Addressing delegates at his party's annual conference in Bangor, Co Down, at the weekend, he said the Assembly, the Executive and the other new political institutions set up under the agreement were failing Northern Ireland.
The current peace process was "a return to the application of all the policies which have failed in the past", he said.
"It is now, however, infinitely more dangerous for the capacity of terrorism to inflict serious economic damage on the mainland, the technology to brainwash the electorate, the determination to seduce and bribe some unionist politicians with the trappings and spoils of office and the false promise of an economic and social peace dividend, have all combined to make the easy road to Irish unity broad and inviting," he said.
The system of devolution in operation was designed to "neutralise the power of a democratic majority" and create transitional political institutions which would move Northern Ireland out of the United Kingdom and into the Republic.
The Assembly and the Executive were both sterile and designed to stagnate, while all-Ireland institutions had the capacity to expand and develop, he said.
Mr McCartney claimed agriculture had suffered under devolution, with the Executive powerless to help the industry in the face of the BSE crisis.
He criticised the political system at Stormont for allowing the biggest four parties in the Assembly to take part in the powersharing Executive.
He said the UUP was propping up the Assembly because of the "illusion of power, the pomp of office and the generous remuneration which its Assembly members enjoy". He condemned Mr David Trimble for presiding over a system which enabled Sinn Fein ministers to take charge of health and education while the Provisional IRA remained armed.