Agreement cannot survive without change: Ford

12.00.00am GMT Fri 16th Jan 2004

Speaking to the Annual Meeting of North Down Alliance last night, David Ford, Party Leader said:

"A week ago, Alliance put forward detailed proposals for the Review of the Agreement. So far, we have heard no details from any other party and nothing about the arrangements for the Review from the Governments.

"All that we have heard is a demand from Nationalists that the Review should be short and sharp. This would be fine if parties were prepared to confront the changes that are needed in a focused review, but this does not appear likely.

"It almost appears that some people have forgotten the number of difficulties that we have seen since 1998. This is not the time for a quick fix, but for a truly Comprehensive Review to deal with all the outstanding issues.

"The choice is now clear. The Agreement cannot survive without amendments to some of its mechanisms. If we do not make the necessary reforms, the Agreement will wither away."