Vol. 472 No. 6
36 Mr. Callely asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the likely developments in respect of agreed political progress by all political parties in the peace process; the current situation regarding participation in the process by Sinn Féin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23964/96]
The opening plenary session of the multi-party talks in Belfast is continuing to consider the question of decommissioning. As was reiterated at the most recent meeting of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, which was held in Belfast on 20 November, both Governments remain committed to the implementation of all aspects of the report of the international body as the best possible basis for progress in relation to decommissioning. We continue to hope that agreement will be reached with the other participants on such an approach, and that it will accordingly be possible to effect the earliest possible transition into substantive three stranded negotiations on this basis.
The position regarding the conditions for participation in the talks has been set out by me in the House on many occasions, and I would refer the Deputy to the reply I gave on this matter to Deputy Burke on 31 October, Official Report, Volume 470, No. 8, columns 1655-1659. The Government believes that Sinn Féin should be included in the talks once those conditions are fulfilled, and we are anxious to see that objective fulfilled as soon as possible. That is a strong argument for the earliest possible reinstatement of the IRA ceasefire which, as I have said, should never have been broken.
