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| Sinn Fein in key policing talks | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Sinn Fein's national executive is to meet in Dublin later to decide whether to press ahead with plans to support policing in Northern Ireland. | Sinn Fein's national executive is to meet in Dublin later to decide whether to press ahead with plans to support policing in Northern Ireland. |
| In December, the party executive supported calls for a special conference of members on policing. | In December, the party executive supported calls for a special conference of members on policing. |
| The decision was based on a positive response from the British and Irish governments and DUP leader Ian Paisley. | The decision was based on a positive response from the British and Irish governments and DUP leader Ian Paisley. |
| But on Friday, Sinn Fein said the DUP had reneged on a deal on the devolution of policing. The DUP denied this. | But on Friday, Sinn Fein said the DUP had reneged on a deal on the devolution of policing. The DUP denied this. |
| DUP leader Ian Paisley said he had made no commitment which went beyond recent public statements. | DUP leader Ian Paisley said he had made no commitment which went beyond recent public statements. |
| When the words of approval they expected from the DUP leader did not materialise, republicans began to cast doubt on whether the special Sinn Fein conference on policing would take place. | When the words of approval they expected from the DUP leader did not materialise, republicans began to cast doubt on whether the special Sinn Fein conference on policing would take place. |
| Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish Premier Bertie Ahern have identified Sinn Fein support for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) as being crucial to persuading the DUP to share power in a devolved government with Sinn Fein by 26 March. | Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish Premier Bertie Ahern have identified Sinn Fein support for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) as being crucial to persuading the DUP to share power in a devolved government with Sinn Fein by 26 March. |
| However, as he prepared for Saturday's meeting, Mr Adams accused the DUP leader of reneging on a deal which would have seen him use an agreed form of words in his New Year statement responding to Sinn Fein's national executive decision. | However, as he prepared for Saturday's meeting, Mr Adams accused the DUP leader of reneging on a deal which would have seen him use an agreed form of words in his New Year statement responding to Sinn Fein's national executive decision. |
| The DUP denied that it had made any commitment to Mr Blair and Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain, particularly on the issue of the transfer of policing and justice powers by May 2008. | |
| 'Move ahead' | 'Move ahead' |
| "I am not in the business of saying one thing in private and another in public," Mr Paisley said. | "I am not in the business of saying one thing in private and another in public," Mr Paisley said. |
| Mr Adams said he would be urging his national executive to judge everything in the round. | Mr Adams said he would be urging his national executive to judge everything in the round. |
| "In my presentation I will put to people that we still need civic policing, we still need to have an accountable police service and we still need to get the power-sharing institutions in place," the West Belfast MP said. | "In my presentation I will put to people that we still need civic policing, we still need to have an accountable police service and we still need to get the power-sharing institutions in place," the West Belfast MP said. |
| "We cannot allow others to dictate the pace of change." | "We cannot allow others to dictate the pace of change." |
| Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has accused some DUP politicians of showing "begrudgery" over recent developments in the peace process. | Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has accused some DUP politicians of showing "begrudgery" over recent developments in the peace process. |
| Mr Hain said he hoped the Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle meeting on Saturday would schedule a special party conference on policing. | Mr Hain said he hoped the Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle meeting on Saturday would schedule a special party conference on policing. |
| In an interview for Radio Ulster's Inside Politics programme, Mr Hain insisted that the time had come for both Sinn Fein and the DUP to move forward. | In an interview for Radio Ulster's Inside Politics programme, Mr Hain insisted that the time had come for both Sinn Fein and the DUP to move forward. |
| "I think this is make your mind up time and I hope we can get clarity from Sinn Fein on policing," he said. | |
| "I hope that the DUP will be a little more encouraging of that as well, rather than the begrudging attitude you get from too many DUP politicians, most of them backbenchers, which doesn't create the kind of climate (where) everybody's trying to move forward together rather than to snipe at each other." |