Republicanism will not be damaged by the "Stakeknife" allegations, Mr Martin McGuinness asserted yesterday ahead of an Anglo-Irish meeting in London today where the two governments will assess the impact of the issue on the peace process.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, and the Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, are meeting this afternoon in London under the umbrella of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, which was set up under the Belfast Agreement.
The governments are concerned that the Stakeknife issue could damage the possibility of a breakthrough in September or October when negotiations between the governments and the Northern parties are due to resume in earnest.
"The question we are asking is, does this undermine the Sinn Fein leadership?" said an Irish source yesterday. Mr Cowen and Mr Murphy will also discuss what elements of the Joint Declaration can be implemented in the months ahead and the prospects of rescheduling elections for the autumn.
Mr McGuinness said yesterday that the political process was in "a dire state" and in "deep crisis" because of the suspension of Assembly elections, but that Sinn Féin had not been damaged by the "Stakeknife" issue.
"I can assure you that republicanism is not in crisis," said Mr McGuinness. "There are people asking legitimate questions about why is this happening at this time? Whose agenda is being served? It certainly is not the agenda of those who wish to see a successful political or peace process."
He suggested that elements in the British establishment and British intelligence, which wanted to undermine the process and were operating a policy of "divide and conquer", were behind the Stakeknife allegations. He said there was also a small number of "dissident journalists" who were intent on creating confusion.
"Republicans will emerge from all of this very strong indeed," he added. "As far as we are concerned, the work that we have to do will continue. We do so with the full and wholehearted support of the people who vote for us, and they are not a small number of people," Mr McGuinness said.
"Republicans will remain united. Republicans will refuse to be confused in this situation and will see all of this for the effort that it is - to effectively damage the Sinn Féin peace strategy and to damage the work that we have participated in, in this vitally important peace process for all of the people of this island."
Mr McGuinness said a senior Sinn Féin delegation would meet the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, in Dublin on Saturday, chiefly to discuss "the state-sanctioned killing of citizens by the British state, by officials acting on behalf of the British state over a long period".
Mr McGuinness and the Sinn Féin president, Mr Gerry Adams, as well the other Northern parties, are also meeting President Bush's special envoy on Ireland, Mr Richard Haass, in Belfast today. Mr Haass will meet Mr Cowen in Dublin tomorrow.
Mr McGuinness again called for Assembly elections to be rescheduled for next month. Mr Eddie McGrady, the SDLP MP for South Down, also called for summer Assembly elections.