Adams slams Unionist demands as "stupid and unattainable"

Ulster Unionists demands for sanctions and IRA disarmament are "stupid and unattainable", Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams claimed today.

Ulster Unionists demands for sanctions and IRA disarmament are "stupid and unattainable", Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams claimed today.

After meeting the Sinn Fein national executive, Mr Adams accused the Ulster Unionist Council of "arrogantly" ignoring the importance of the Provisionals' commitment to put their weapons beyond use.

And he also queried David Trimble's commitment to sharing power with nationalists and republicans at Stormont.

Mr Adams claimed the Stormont First Minister was breaking his pledge of office and the Good Friday Agreement by threatening to bar Sinn Fein ministers Martin McGuinness and Bairbre de Brun from attending meetings with the Irish Government.

"Sinn Fein does not hold executive position by dint of patronage from the UUP. We have a mandate and the citizens whom we represent must have exactly the same rights as all other citizens," he said.

"Could it be that Mr Trimble's move today is a tacit acknowledgement that unionism isn't up to the challenge of working alongside other citizens or of developing and sustaining a peaceful future based upon equality?

"Could it be that he is unable to rise above the role of a party leader, the leader of the UUP, to be a First Minister for all the people?"

Mr Adams said he had today warned the British and Irish Government that they must honour their obligations under the Good Friday Agreement and the deal forged in May. He said they could not pander to a "unionist veto".

"The job of responsible political leaders, but especially of Mr Blair, must now be to provide effective political leadership, fulfilling outstanding commitments and plan the programme of change that is essential for the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement," he said.

"While we all have a role to play in this, the primary responsibility for advancing peace and justice and democracy rests with the British Government.

"And at this time, as we face into another crisis caused by the refusal of unionism to accept the democratic imperative of agreements and responsibilities entered into by them, republicans have serious concerns about the focus and intent of Mr Blair and his colleagues."

He repeated calls for more demilitarisation and claimed the Criminal Justice Review in Northern Ireland fell short of nationalist and republican expectations.

He said the IRA's agreement in May to allow independent inspections of its arms dumps was an attempt to reassure Unionists and was "without doubt at the cost of serious difficulties within republicanism".

However, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble remain unmoved today by Sinn Fein and nationalist SDLP protests at his party's plan of action.

Stressing he was still committed to securing devolution and disarmament, he told the BBC's Breakfast with Frost programme: "I am very deliberately not walking away. There are a lot of people in the party and in the community too who would want us to walk away, to pull the plug. We are deliberately not doing that.

"But we are also saying to republicans that you can't do nothing and get away with it, that if you sit and deliberately do nothing as you have been doing over the past six months, then there is a cost attached to that."

Mr McGuinness signalled today his party would resist the ban on them attending north south bodies by Mr Trimble.

The Stormont Education Minister said a meeting of the power sharing executive needed to be reconvened to discuss the Ulster Unionist Party's sanctions.

"I think it is absolutely vital and essential that the institutions set up by the Good Friday Agreement continue to work and work effectively," the Mid Ulster MP told the BBC's On the Record programme.

"There is a clear responsibility on David Trimble and all executive parties to ensure these institutions are working and working well.

"It always has been very clear that people like Ian Paisley and Jeffrey Donaldson were part of 'No' unionism.

"What is now in question for many nationalists, and is a huge concern for many of them, is whether or not David Trimble is now leading the 'Don't Know' wing of unionism."

Mr McGuinness claimed the rejectionist wing of unionism had now succeeded in turning Mr Trimble onto their ground.

He called on the Government to honour its commitments under the Good Friday Agreement including reforming policing and achieving demilitarisation.

The Sinn Fein minister said unionists and members of the British establishment opposed to the peace process must not be allowed to "emasculate" the Agreement.