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9 September 2013

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British Government’s pre-emptive strike at Haass Talks ‘unacceptable intervention’, says Gerry Adams

British Secretary of State Theresa Villiers

‘Theresa Villiers’s speech reflects a continuing failure by the British Government to acknowledge its role as participants in a conflict and an indication that the British state is still not ready for the sort of victim-centered inclusive process which is required’

BRITISH Secretary of State Theresa Villiers MP has been accused by Gerry Adams TD of an “unacceptable intervention” at the weekend’s British Irish Association meeting in England by trying to set parameters for the forthcoming multi-party talks chaired by US diplomat Richard Haass.

The British Government is not directly represented at the Haass Talks and Villiers claimed “I’ve no intention of pre-empting the Group’s discussions” before doing just that by declaring:

“Any mechanisms for dealing with the past need to be fully consistent with maintaining the integrity of the rule of law . . . and as our manifesto set out and the Prime Minister reiterated in his statement on Bloody Sunday, we will never put those who uphold the law on the same footing as those who seek to destroy it. For us, politically-motivated violence from whatever side was never justified and we will not be party to attempts to rewrite history by legitimising terrorism.”

Villiers’s claims of goodwill and good intentions were clearly at odds with her actual words and her government’s position on the Haass Talks before they have even begun.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said on Monday:

“Theresa Villiers devoted a significant section of her speech in Cambridge to the issue of dealing with the past. This is one area which will be dealt with in the upcoming Haass talks.

“Her comments were an attempt to try and set parameters for those entering the talks – it is an unacceptable intervention.

“Her speech reflects a continuing failure by the British Government to acknowledge its role as participants in a conflict and an indication that the British state is still not ready for the sort of victim-centered inclusive process which is required.

“Given the British Government’s record to date on this issue – including the shelving of Eames/Bradley proposals for dealing with the legacy of the conflict, the resistance to inquests and the refusal to implement the Weston Park Agreement on the Finucane Inquiry – many people will view this intervention as yet another attempt to frustrate finding a way forward in dealing with the past.

“What is required is an independent truth recovery process facilitated by an acceptable international agency. That is the only credible means to effectively deal with these issues.”

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