Mayhew presses for ceasefire

Sir Patrick Mayhew, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, yesterday used publication of a bill for the province's forthcoming elections to press for an early restoration of the IRA ceasefire to ensure all-party talks go ahead on 10 June.

The Government is rushing through the Bill, which will provide for elections on 30 May, in the hope of ensuring Royal Assent by Monday week. The second reading in the Commons will be tomorrow. Sir Patrick emphasised that the elections, which provide for a 110-member forum from which negotiators will be chosen by party leaders, was a "gateway to negotiations that can lead towards a long-term political settlement in Northern Ireland".

The Government has made it clear Sinn Fein's participation in the all- party talks depends on "unequivocal" restoration of the truce. Sir Patrick yesterday dismissed suggestions that he had accepted that a de facto ceasefire already existed and made it clear that the Government was expecting a declaration that it had been restored.

Pressed on whether parties would be satisfied if the ceasefire was announced only on the eve on all-party talks, Sir Patrick said: "It would be increasingly hard to persuade participants that it was unequivocal and genuine, the nearer to the off it was delivered." His remarks were reinforced by the Deputy Prime Minister, Michael Heseltine, who said on a visit to Northern Ireland that the ceasefire should be reinstated as soon as possible. "It is a tragedy it was interrupted." People in the province had "suffered appallingly" and had felt a deep sense of relief when the ceasefire was called.