Sinn Fein want Paisley 'clarity'

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There is no point "pretending the DUP have agreed to share power", Sinn Fein's chief negotiator has said.

Martin McGuinness said it was "obvious" Ian Paisley did not agree with the assessment of the DUP's position by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

He said the DUP had not agreed to share power by 26 March or agreed the timetable for the transfer of policing powers by May 2008.

He said Mr Paisley had to "clearly" agree with the PM's assessment.

"What we really need to hear from Ian Paisley is that he not only welcomes Tony Blair's assessment, but he agrees with it," he said.

He said Mr Paisley had to clearly back sharing power by 26 March and the timetable for the transfer of powers on policing.

"Nationalists and republicans will not accept political, legal or policing institutions which are not representative and democratically and legally accountable," he said.

Mr McGuinness said his party would work to see the issued resolved, but that the DUP and two governments had to play "their full part".

In a statement DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson said that it was Sinn Fein who had to "face up to delivering on policing".

He said that the Northern Ireland Office had "acknowledged their satisfaction" with Mr Paisley's "very full statement" in response to the PM's assessment.

'Conference question mark'

"Clearly Sinn Fein is experiencing severe difficulties on the necessity to give full support to the police, the courts and the rule of law," he said.

"We are not in the business of making their task any more difficult but in reality they themselves must face up to delivering on the policing issue."

On Thursday, Mr Blair warned the DUP and Sinn Fein that commitments on policing and power-sharing must be honoured for an election to happen.

Senior Sinn Fein members will meet next week to discuss whether to move forward with a special conference on policing. Mr McGuinness said that there was now a "huge question mark" over this ard fheis.

On Thursday the DUP leader said his party was willing to make progress but that "upfront delivery is required from Sinn Fein" on policing.

However, DUP MEP Jim Allister said on Friday he could not foresee a time when policing and justice could be devolved to an assembly.

Holiday return

Sinn Fein's leadership voted last month to hold a conference on the issue of whether to support policing.

But the party signalled on Wednesday this was in doubt because the move had not received a "positive enough" response from DUP leader Ian Paisley.

This was enough to make Mr Blair return early from his holiday in Florida for emergency talks.

"I am confident both parties want to see progress and will honour their commitments," Mr Blair said.

"But there is no point in proceeding unless there is such clarity."

If Sinn Fein's conference does not go ahead, the March assembly election may be in doubt.