Taoiseach apologises

Dub13

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2004/12/13/story180257.html


Taoiseach apologises in bid to save peace process
13/12/2004 - 18:17:43

The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has apologised to Ian Paisley in a bid to halt a new row over IRA disarmament turning into a political crisis, it was claimed tonight.

Mr Ahern telephoned the Democratic Unionist leader after he said all contact with the Dublin Government was being severed, party officials said.

Mr Paisley’s move came after the Taoiseach appeared to concede photographic evidence of weapons destruction – a critical DUP demand in the Northern Ireland peace negotiations – was not possible.

The DUP chief was livid with Mr Ahern’s remarks following talks with Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.

He declared: “We have cut off from today, all connections with the southern government in talks.

“As far as we are concerned, he is a man that can’t be trusted.”

The break-off briefly threatened attempts to stop the devolution plan nearly agreed last week from unravelling.

But a DUP spokesman said tonight: “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, after a one-hour meeting with Sinn Féin leaders, Mr Ahern said it would be “insanity” at this stage not to find a way of settling all the issues.

“We were happy with (decommissioning chief) John de Chastelain,” he said.

“Then there was the issue of further witnesses, we were happy with that.

“We had the issue of photographs and that’s not workable so we have to try to find some other way.”

Mr Paisley had insisted the Taoiseach never before suggested photographing decommissioning was not possible during weeks of negotiations.

“From day one until now Mr Ahern never opposed photographs.

“Suddenly he meets two IRA/Sinn Féiners and he comes out and says ’it is not workable’.

“So, anything that the IRA says is not workable he will bow to.”

In a reference to the wife of murdered Garda Jerry McCabe, who is distraught at the prospect of his IRA killers’ being freed under the deal, the North Antrim MP added: “He double-crossed Mrs McCabe, he will not double-cross us. That’s the end of the matter.”

Mr Ahern also stressed that decommissioning was ready to happen but no progress would be made unless there was a comprehensive deal.

Both the British and Irish would have been satisfied with the deal as it was laid on the table to the DUP and Sinn Féin last week.

He said the issues regarding criminality and paramilitary activity were “not that much different” to those set out last October.

Hopes of reaching an agreement to revive the political institutions were shattered last week when the deal unravelled.

Mr Ahern said: “We were very close last Wednesday. There are one or two issues that have to be resolved and we believe it’s possible to resolve these.”

flogen

I saw paisley talk about this on RTE earlier, the man once again has proven himself to be the most unprofessional man in European politics. He relished being able to say that Ahern apologised to him, he recounted the entire conversation to the media.
As someone pointed out to me, him wanted to humiliate the IRA was quite unchristian, this just says to me that all his posturing of late is an ego trip on a grand scale.

flogen

aidan_walsh

The sad fact is that he does represent the mindset of a lot of people up there though... He wouldn't be in the position of power he is if he wasn't...

Sand

Well Im glad for one that somebodys making Bertie squirm for all his double talk, fence sitting and outright lying.

Im just amazed that Bertie, who is so often credited with having great political deviousness, is doing so much to harm himself and his party at the next election and all for that shower up north.

He must think he will gain kudos for being the man who ended the Northern Ireland conflict, but A) Is that going to matter more to voters in the Republic than his double crossing McCabe widow? Is he really going to be able to sell himself as being all that important when the spotlight will obviously be on Paisley and Adams? and C) seeing as the current atmosphere is no more ready for peace than its ever been how bad will the fallout be when it breaks down 18 months down the line if not sooner?

I cant see what he can realistically hope to get out of it except hardship.

Dub13

Dub13 wrote:

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In a reference to the wife of murdered Garda Jerry McCabe, who is distraught at the prospect of his IRA killers’ being freed under the deal, the North Antrim MP added: “He double-crossed Mrs McCabe, he will not double-cross us. That’s the end of the matter.”
[/url]

You have to admit he is right here.....Every day this so called deal slips further and further away.

Raskolnikov

Sand wrote:

Im just amazed that Bertie, who is so often credited with having great political deviousness, is doing so much to harm himself and his party at the next election and all for that shower up north.

Maybe because he's about one of the only politicians down here who has a genuine concern for the Northern peace process with a will to back it up. Contrast that to the position of Fine Gael and the PD's who've done little or nothing to further to help, if anything, their lies have only hampered the peace process.

If Bertie does manage to help bring the DUP and Sinn Féin to share power and bring about IRA decommissioning then he deserves all the kudos that he gets.

gom

Raskolnikov wrote:

Maybe because he's about one of the only politicians down here who has a genuine concern for the Northern peace process..

Are you insane!!!!

Bertie cares about one thing and that is being Taoiseach. If a deal up north makes it more likely that he is still taoiseach until he is 60 then he will do that. He opposed the US war on iraq but let plans land in shannon - doublespeak. If calling himself a Socialist helps he will do that. If lieing will help - he'll give that ago. This is one of those occasions when it isn't the public who were affected by his lies but another party round a table McCabe/Paisley/SF/Media(always present in ahern's mind).

Bertie Ahern is a joke. He said that McCabe killers would be realeased and then he read the sunday papers and the PDs talked to some SBP journalists and he bacl peddled.


If anything in the next general election opposition parties should have lots and lost of posters of Ahern with LIAR #1 underneath his head....

Dub13

Did anybody read in the Sunday World last week were in an interview with one of there reporters about 4/5 years ago Bertie said he never even met a Socialist.....now he is one.

flogen

Dub13 wrote:

Did anybody read in the Sunday World last week were in an interview with one of there reporters about 4/5 years ago Bertie said he never even met a Socialist.....now he is one.

well now, that's for a different thread, but I would like to see the argument put forward to back his claims of being a socialist. tbh I dont think anyone swallowed that pill.

As for putting Bertie in his place, that's not Paisleys job, it should be Enda Kennys job. He tried it with the McCabe issue but I think he ended up looking bad too.
Given the huge divide in Northern politics both parties are desperate to gain points against the other side. For the deal to fall apart because the IRA are being unreasonable suits the DUP perfectly, and for it to fall apart as a result of the DUP would suit the shinners.... the current situation is so multi-layered both sides can blame the other. The fact is that this kind of boasting and bragging will not help things at all, Paisley should have a bit more dignity and respect even if Bertie does flip-flop.

flogen

gom

Photographs of decommissioned guns is not proof of decommissioning by the IRA. Its a picture...

Gen. John De Chastilin runs an internationally respected body which is independent. Ian Paisley must use the international norms of John De Chastilin. To avoid it would only degrate the work John De Chastiline does around the world and discredit it as an organisation for decommissioning.

While I completely dispise the IRA, I can definitly see the problems with photographs being published to satify Paisley's need for Gun Porn.

rien_du_tout

Bertie shouldnt have apologized..... he was right, photographs of the decommissioning would be unworkable. I mean does anybody else here what the IRA is saying.........it will give up ALL its arms. Thats right ALL........... and we're sitting here argueing over a f*ing photo. Witnesses from both communities would even see it but thats not enough. Why cant this amazing opportunity be taken by Ian Paisley .......why!?......does he not want the IRA to go away?? does he not want 1 side of the conflict to completely and utterly move onto the path to peace? AHHH, and what gets me is that because Paisley effectively holds a veto no1 will bad mouth him coz they need him for whatever deal they hope to do eventually. Bertie is surely f*ing and blinding behind closed doors at what Paisley has done to him. And for all the crap the IRA and Sinn Féin get, lets remember they were prepared to give it all up, to not leap 1st, but to blast themselves into space without a spacesuit. Sorry for the rant, as a side issue I think some1 made a good point that the PD's have helped not 1 iota when it comes to the peace process. It seems their own electioneering and Mc Dowells personal fame ego comes before the people in the 6 counties.

Is mise Seán

Sleepy

/me passes Bertie the Vaseline.

This is disgraceful, if Paisley is going to act like a child in the negotiations he should just be taken out of them.

Rien du tout wrote:

lets remember they were prepared to give it all up, to not leap 1st, but to blast themselves into space without a spacesuit

They still can. As many of us have pointed out in the other thread, if the IRA were to just go ahead and decommission in front of De Chastelain, the DUP would have no choice but to accept it. If they didn't, I think they could pretty much be ruled out of the talks as their support would dwindle to the point where they'd be no more relevant than the Green Party is down south (no offence to the green party, I've voted for them myself on occasion, but they're no representing enough of the population to have any power).

Mr.Nice Guy

Sleepy wrote:

They still can. As many of us have pointed out in the other thread, if the IRA were to just go ahead and decommission in front of De Chastelain, the DUP would have no choice but to accept it.

You seriously think the IRA will decommission out of the goodness of its heart?(sic)
The IRA won't do a thing unless they get something back in return.They have ignored the calls by the Irish people to disband and they remain involved in criminal activity like smuggling and punishment beatings.
Unfortunately for the IRA they're not dealing with a pushover like Trimble anymore and if they want to have a government up and running in the North they should consent to photographs so we can get on with having PEACE in this island of ours.