PREPARATIONS for all party negotiations on Northern Ireland planned for June 10th remained dogged by difficulty and last night.
Sinn Fe in appealed for acceptance of its political bona fides but Ulster Unionists warned they would vote to bring down the Conservative government if concessions were made to Sinn Fein.
Mr Gerry Adams yesterday appealed to the British government and the unionist parties to treat seriously Sinn Fein's commitment to the Mitchell principles. Mr David Trimble, the Ulster Unionist leader, however was dismissive of Sinn Fein's "purported acceptance" of Mitchell.
The UUP leader said in Dungannon, Co Tyrone, that he required firm commitments from the British government that the Mitchell principles on democracy and non violence would be honoured and IRA decommissioning would occur alongside talks.
Mr Trimble said he did not regard Mr Adams's commitment to the six - Mitchell principle as a republican concession.
"There has been no concession whatsoever," he said. "In the wake of Adams's purported acceptance of the Mitchell Report we are alert to the danger of further pressure on John Major to once again dilute the government's position," he added.
The British government must not "backslide" on the demand for IRA decommissioning and a ceasefire.
"In such circumstances I would have no hesitation in recommending to my parliamentary colleagues to oppose the government," said Mr Trimble.
"The Ulster Unionist Party has insisted on these matters being at the top of the agenda of June 10th. Until they are successfully resolved there is no merit in broadening the discussions," he added.
"I want to make clear that any backsliding by the prime minister on the twin issues of the ceasefire and decommissioning would be regarded as a fundamental breach of faith, and confirmation that Her Majesty's government was no longer acting in the best interests of the United Kingdom as a whole, and Northern Ireland in particular," he said.
In response, Mr Adams accused Mr Trimble of electioneering. "Mr Trimble appears to be bent upon leading his people back to 1912 instead of forward into the next millennium.
"I would ask him to reconsider and to reflect upon his threat to block all party talks if Sinn Fein are there," he added.
Earlier, Mr Adams appealed to the British government and the two main unionist parties to take seriously Sinn Fein's commitment to the six Mitchell principles on democracy and non violence.
Mr Adams, at the launch of his party's manifesto in west Belfast, said his commitment to the six Mitchell principle was an attempt to create space for dialogue.
"What we are trying to do is overcome obstacles, remove hurdles and reach out the hand of friendship to our opponents and say: `Let's find some common ground, let's find a bit of space here to try and negotiate a future for the people of this island'."
However, despite numerous reporters' questions, he refused to speculate on whether the IRA might call a ceasefire before June 10th.
Equally, he refused to be drawn on whether Sinn Fein's commitment to Mitchell, which requires a repudiation of violence, would distance the party from the IRA.
Mr Adams said it was disappointing that there "has been a predictably negative response from Downing Street and the unionists" to Sinn Fein's acceptance of the six Mitchell principle.
He appealed to Mr Trimble and the Rev Ian Paisley, to reflect "at this critical moment in our history" that when there were genuine efforts by Irish republicans to move the situation forward they were "repudiated, undermined and rubbished".
Mr Adams said he had written to Mr Major yesterday seeking to "explore" further his recent Irish Times article in which the British prime minister said decommissioning must be addressed at the beginning of talks and agreement reached on how Mr Mitchell's principles can be "taken forward without blocking negotiations".
He wrote seeking a "clear indication" of the nature and structure of the talks. It must not be a single item agenda on decommissioning, the Sinn Fein leader insisted.
He said the Mitchell Report had been misread or misinterpreted in many instances and emphasised that the report stated the parties should "consider" an approach under which "some" decommissioning would take place during all party negotiations.
In relation to that, Sinn Fein wanted decommissioning dealt with at the end of negotiations while unionists wanted it dealt with at the beginning.
Mr Martin McGuinness said he wanted from Mr Major "a clear indication of where we are going on June 10th". The British government needed to be "up front" about the nature and structure of the talks.
"We want to be going to real and meaningful negotiations," he added.
