DUP fuming at Ahern comments
The Irish Taoiseach has apologised to Democratic Unionist Party leader Dr Rev Ian Paisley for remarks made on the improbability of the IRA granting photographic evidence of weapons decommissioning.
After a meeting with Sinn Fein’s Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, Bertie Ahern suggested photographic evidence was unlikely to be a realistic option.
A fuming Dr Paisley immediately ordered all contact with the Dublin government to be severed, describing Mr Ahern as a man who would kowtow to “IRA/Sinn Feiners”.
“We have cut off from today, all connections with the southern government in talks,” he said.
“As far as we are concerned, he is a man that can’t be trusted.”
Mr Ahern later telephoned Mr Paisley to apologise, but it is believed that the DUP are still angry about the comments.
A DUP spokesman said last night: “The Taoiseach contacted Dr Paisley around tea-time to apologise for the situation and how it had developed and reiterated that the photographs continued to be a part of the package.
“We are satisfied with the outcome of the telephone conversation.”
Earlier, Mr Adams said the photographs issue was “dead and gone and buried”.
After talks with Tony Blair at Downing Street, Mr Adams said: “I do not think there is any possibility of resurrecting that issue.”
Northern Ireland’s parties will meet with the British and Irish governments in Belfast on Wednesday in the next round of peace talks.
