A meeting of the 110-strong Ulster Unionist executive ended last night after only 15 minutes with the party leader, Mr David Trimble, informing reporters that policy on The Way Forward document remained unchanged.
In a brief statement he said: "This executive's view remains unchanged. I have not sought, nor will I seek, a change in the party's policy. It's the same as we expressed on Friday, the same as I expressed in the House of Commons yesterday." The First Minister did not state if he would nominate three UUP ministers today when the d'Hondt mechanism is run in the Assembly.
The UUP executive meeting on July 9th described The Way For- ward proposals, aimed at overcoming the impasse over decommissioning and the formation of an executive, as "fundamentally unfair and unbalanced".
The British/Irish plan involved the formation of an executive, with the prospect of IRA decommissioning four weeks later. The UUP had reserved its position on the proposals until it viewed the "failsafe" legislation.
However, even with the drafting of amendments to this legislation yesterday, the legislation, and therefore the proposals, were unacceptable to the UUP. A party spokesman confirmed that the party policy of "no guns - no government" would be upheld.
An Ulster Unionist councillor leaving the meeting said the party executive wished to see prior IRA decommissioning before it would enter government with Sinn Fein. Mr Arnold Hatch said Mr Trimble had restated at last night's meeting the message from the previous meeting, "which essentially was, we couldn't move forward with this agreement as it stands at the present". The Ulster Unionist MP, Mr William Ross, said he was "happy enough" after last night's meeting, as party policy had remained intact. "Let's see what Tony Blair is coming up with." Mr Ross, who opposed the Belfast Agreement, said he understood Mr Trimble would decide tomorrow whether to nominate ministers to the executive. "Whatever he wants to do, he will do." He said Mr Trimble wasn't happy with the Northern Ireland Bill, or its "alleged" guarantees, which passed in Westminster on Tuesday night. He said the party had not been given sight of the wording of the three-part amendment, which was expected to pass through the House of Lords last night.
"You have to be very, very careful whenever you are dealing with the words that they use. You need to have the words in front of you and study them with great care so you know exactly what he (Mr Blair) is trying to get at, far more what he is trying to conceal." Meanwhile, the Alliance party executive last night gave its "full and unanimous endorsement" to the party leadership for its approach to The Way Forward proposals and ensuing legislation.
"Only by establishing an executive will we fulfil the wishes of the vast majority of people who voted in favour of the Good Friday agreement," Mr Sean Neeson, the party leader, said.