The British Defence Secretary has boosted Mr David Trimble's prospects of resisting an effective Ulster Unionist Council challenge from Mr Jeffrey Donaldson by stating that there are no plans to disband the home element of the Royal Irish Regiment.
Defence Secretary Mr Geoffrey Hoon, after meeting the Ulster Unionist leader in London, yesterday provided assurances about the future of the RIR without making absolute commitments on the future composition of the British army in Northern Ireland.
Lagan Valley MP Mr Donaldson triggered a UUC gathering for next Monday on the basis of the speculation. He widened the nature of the meeting to demand that the UUC reject the Hillsborough Joint Declaration, a move interpreted as another challenge to Mr Trimble's leadership.
Last Saturday, at Mr Trimble's request, the UUP executive asked the British government to "disown publicly" speculation that the RIR was to be wound up.
After meeting Mr Trimble yesterday, Mr Hoon said that there had been "some inaccurate speculation" on the future of the RIR.
In a key phrase that should help strengthen Mr Trimble's defences for his showdown with Mr Donaldson, the Defence Secretary added: "It is simply untrue that the government has plans to disband the Royal Irish, in general, or the home service battalions, in particular."
Under the terms of the declaration, troop numbers will be reduced to 5,000 in Northern Ireland if the IRA finally ceases all operations. Mr Hoon, however, gave no guarantees that all 3,000 troops in the home element of the RIR would be included in this 5,000-troop figure.
"No decision has been made on which members of the armed forces would provide this overall figure of 5,000.
"That decision will not arise until the security threat has receded to the point when the police no longer routinely need operational support from the army," he said.
"It is neither feasible nor prudent to attempt to decide now the nature of the home service's role, or the size or composition of the Royal Irish, in what are hypothetical future circumstances.
"That would be a matter for consideration at the time, and in the light of all the circumstances, including the government's global defence commitments," added Mr Hoon.
Mr Donaldson and his supporters are likely to seize on this qualification referring to composition being determined by future unpredictable requirements. Mr Trimble, however, is sure to argue that Mr Hoon has provided the requested assurances about the local RIR.
Mr Trimble has been maintaining a low profile ahead of his confrontation with Mr Donaldson, but armed with the Hoon statement he is now expected to go on the offensive against Mr Donaldson.
The Sinn Féin spokesman on policing, Mr Gerry Kelly, said that all British soldiers, including the RIR, should be removed from Northern Ireland.
"The RIR are first and foremost a unionist militia. Conflict resolution inevitably involves the removal of the RIR," he said.
The SDLP has also called for the disbandment of the home element of the RIR. The Irish Government however has accepted that it is a matter for the British government to decide the composition of the British army in Northern Ireland.
What was important to Dublin, said a Government source, was that British troop numbers would be reduced to 5,000 under the terms of the Joint Declaration.
"We are concerned with numbers, not composition," he said.
