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24 June 2004 Edition

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Governments' September talks copout

Last Friday night's announcement that the London and Dublin Governments that talks this week are merely a prelude to 'intensive negotiations' in September is an appalling fudge.

As Sinn Féin party chair Mitchel McLaughlin said on Saturday, there is no reason why the two governments, Sinn Féin and the other parties cannot reach a speedy agreement on the elements of an agreement needed to end the crisis in the process.

The decision to put off intensive negotiations until September means that the governments have bought into the timeframe set down by the DUP. Once again, they are allowing unionism to set the pace in the process. This is unacceptable.

Sinn Féin believes that it is possible in a short period to achieve a comprehensive and holistic package which deals with all of the outstanding matters in a way that is definitive and conclusive.

There is no reason why the effort to resolve this should be put off for the summer.


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