THE Government will be pushing for early agreement on the procedures to deal with decommissioning, in parallel with all party negotiations, at an important Anglo Irish Conference meeting in London today.
The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, said last night he was "close tap agreement" with Mr Major on a procedure for carrying the (decommissioning) issue forward in accordance with the Mitchell Report".
His confident remarks came only hours after the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, threatened to withdraw support from the British government if there was any "backslide" on the demand for IRA decommissioning and a ceasefire.
Following a meeting with an SDLP delegation in Dublin yesterday, led by Mr John Hume, Mr Bruton warned decommissioning would happen in practice only if there was progress on political matters. Responding to Mr Trimble's statement, he said he believed decommissioning was an issue which had to be faced and dealt with in the discussions but it was not going to be the sole issue to block the other issues being discussed.
The mechanics for dealing with decommissioning seem set to dominate the agenda at today's meeting between the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, and the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, in London.
Mr Bruton indicated to Opposition leaders in the Dail, and later in a joint press conference with Mr Hume, that some specific procedural items remained to be agreed between the two governments. These issues included who would chair the North/South and decommissioning aspects of the talks and the prerogatives of the chair.
It is understood the potential role to be played by Mr George Mitchell, chairman of the international decommissioning body, has yet to be settled by the two governments. The question of setting up a fourth strand, as requested by Mr Spring, or an all party committee to address decommissioning, has yet to be decided.
The importance of the items to be dealt with at today's meeting was signalled by various participants in the peace process yesterday.
Mr Trimble, speaking in Dungannon, suggested that following Sinn Fein's purported acceptance of the Mitchell Report, "we are alert to the danger of further pressure on John Major to once again dilute the government's position". He would have no hesitation in recommending to his parliamentary colleagues to oppose the government if there was a "backslide" on the demand for IRA decommissioning and a ceasefire.
Asked if he planned to go to the IRA with Mr Adams, Mr Hume said last night he would meet anyone if it was necessary to do so to bring about a restoration of the ceasefire. However he had no plans of that description.
A Fianna Fail spokesman, meanwhile, said its front bench meeting was hopeful there would be a ceasefire before the all party talks on June 10th. Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein officials had two meetings over the past two days.
