Alliance urges Trimble to abandon 'ourselves alone' policy

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 6th Feb 2003

Alliance Party Leader, David Ford, has called upon Ulster Unionist Party Leader, David Trimble, to abandon his 'ourselves alone' approach to achieving confidence-building measures from Republicans, and to instead build wider coalitions with like-minded parties throughout these islands.

"The concerns expressed by David Trimble regarding the need for real and substantial confidence-building measures from republicans are not unique to Ulster Unionists, but are shared by the wider community."

"While there is substantial sympathy for the demands being made by Mr Trimble, there is total bewilderment at the tactics he is pursuing. It essentially an 'ourselves alone' strategy, using the negative strategy that the institutions cannot be restored without unionist consent."

"Recently, I have been impressed by comments from parties from all over the UK and Ireland, especially some of the opposition parties in the Republic in the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation. They recognise the need for republicans to make a final decision about whether they are on the path of democracy or the path of paramilitarism."

"David Trimble's time would be more productively spent engaging with all of the liked-minded parties in these islands, creating a strong coalition that will put pressure on republicans for major acts of completion in the crucial weeks ahead."

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