The primary task for Sinn FΘin in the months and years ahead was to make an honourable peace with its opponents, based on justice, the party's chief negotiator, Mr Martin McGuinness, said yesterday.
Mr McGuinness, the North's Minister of Education, opened the debate on the peace process, which included an emergency motion, "Towards a Lasting Peace". He told delegates: "The peace process is good and is working for the people of Ireland."
Political representatives of unionism had profound difficulties facing up to the challenges of the peace process, Mr McGuinness said. The manifestation of this opposition ranged from the threatened collapse of the political institutions by Mr (David) Trimble to the sectarian onslaught against Catholic families, schoolchildren and communities across the North.
It was incumbent on Sinn FΘin to reach out to that section of the unionist community which felt uncertain of the future, to reiterate that whatever changes came about would not threaten the unionists and to tell them that their future was secure.
Speaking on a motion on equality, Mr Conor Murphy, an Ard Chomhairle member, said that the unionists' approach had been one of suspicion and had sought to frustrate the provisions relating to equality in the agreement.
Mr Brendan McFarlane, north Belfast, said that the loyalist hatred directed at schoolchildren was only part of the picture. There were many other areas where Catholics were attacked. People needed to oppose every single act of sectarianism, whether directed against Catholics or Protestants.
Mr Pat Doherty, MP for West Tyrone, speaking on Northern representation in the Republic, said that he could not take his mandate to Westminster, which was in a foreign country. He wanted to be part of an all-Irish democracy and the Irish Government had to accept that it had a key role in this area. "I want to go with Caoimhghin ╙ Caolβin TD into Leinster House", Mr Doherty said. He added that the people of the Six Counties should have a right to vote in elections in the Republic.