Deputy First Minister has said he is “concerned” that “negative elements” in the Orange Order were setting agenda the for unionists parties involved in the Richard Haass negotiations.
Martin McGuinness.
Mr McGuinness said UU leader Mike Nesbitt was making a “mistake” by not making it clear that he would recommend accepting the document as the basis for moving forward.
The Sinn Fein representative added: “As political leaders we have a responsibility to all citizens to deliver. I have a concern that the agenda for both unionist parties is being set not by this requirement but by the needs and demands of the Orange Order.
“It is clear that there are elements of the Orange Order and extreme loyalism who do not want to see progress, they do not want to see agreement and they are hostile to the idea of peace building and a shared future. Adopting a negotiating strategy which is driven by these negative elements is a huge mistake.
“Richard Haass has delivered his final text. This is the time we need political leadership. That means standing with the vast majority who want to see progress not with the rejectionist elements within the Orange Order who wish to see this process fail.”
Mr McGuinness concluded: “In recent days I have heard talk about the establishment of a working group on the Haass proposals. The negotiation has ended. The only purpose in establishing an all-party working group is to ensure the implementation of the document as it stands not to reopen negotiations on its contents.”
