The Rev Ian Paisley is living in "cloud cuckoo land" over claims that fresh negotiations on the Northern Ireland peace process are imminent, a senior Ulster Unionist insisted today.
Sir Reg Empey, the North's Economy Minister, launched an attack on the Democratic Unionist Party leader's prediction that new talks will be needed after the British general election in June.
"He's fixated with domination and is not interested in negotiation," Mr Empey said.
Mr Paisley had earlier claimed that new discussions were inevitable - and vowed not to meet with Sinn Fein.
"I believe that we will have negotiations at the end of this election," he told BBC Radio. He said the DUP will only talk to constitutional politicians and the British Government.
"We will not be at the table with IRA/Sinn Fein or anybody else that has arms in their hands and threats on their lips that are going to murder people and bomb people and destroy."
But Mr Empey dismissed Mr Paisley's claims: "It's absolutely cloud cuckoo land. Who out there believes that Ian Paisley is going to negotiate with anybody."
"He's already said he won't talk to republicans, and yet he sits with republicans every day.
In a further swipe at the DUP, Mr Empey the attacked the party's ploy of rotating its two ministerial posts in the power-sharing regime among its Assembly members.
The current incumbents, Regional Development Minister Mr Gregory Campbell and his Social Development counterpart Mr Maurice Morrow, replaced Mr Peter Robinson and Mr Nigel Dodds last year as the DUP sought to weaken the political institutions.
But Sir Reg claimed: "They are revolving slower than the earth revolves around the sun. It was only a stunt to get them over a difficulty last year."
PA