AHERN AND ADAMS CALL FOR CALM FOLLOWING BANK RAID INVECTIVE

AHERN AND ADAMS CALL FOR CALM FOLLOWING BANK RAID INVECTIVE
02/11/05 15:26 EST

Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams today called for
clear-the-air talks with Irish premier Bertie Ahern to
resolve their row over the Northern Bank robbery. While both
men today continued to criticise each other from afar, they
also sounded a more temperate note.


Just hours after the Taoiseach accused Mr Adams of behaving
childishly, the West Belfast MP said Mr Ahern "should stop
making these malicious and untrue allegations".


But he added: "I am prepared to sit down with the Taoiseach
today, tomorrow at any time to try and sort these matters
out. It is important that when we get to that point that
genuine dialogue should be conducted in an atmosphere which
makes success possible. That is one of the reasons why we
are so vigorous in defending ourselves from these accusations."


Mr Adams yesterday challenged Mr Ahern to order his arrest
after the Taoiseach had claimed that Sinn Féin's negotiating
team during December's peace talks had foreknowledge of the
Northern Bank heist.


He said the Taoiseach "shut up or put up" after the
Independent Monitoring Commission yesterday reported that
senior members of Sinn Féin sat on the IRA's army council.


Mr Ahern said the challenge was "childish". He claimed Mr
Adams could not deny the IRA was involved in criminality and
punishment beatings.


He also sounded a conciliatory note, though, by saying
energies should be focused on getting peace process back on
track.


Democratic Unionist vice chairman the Rev William McCrea
said that following the bank raid, republicanism had never
been more isolated.


"Can anyone remember when unionism was last backed by the
British, the Irish and the United States governments and the
international press? The pan-nationalist front which so
dictated the pace and direction of the political process for
years is in disarray whilst unionism, united around the
policy position of the DUP, stands strong and self-assured."
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