THE British government is considering making a statement in the near future setting out the test to be applied to measure Sinn Fein's credibility in the event of a renewed IRA ceasefire.
The Irish Times has confirmed that the Irish and British governments have not agreed yet on the criteria to be applied in such circumstances.
There are substantial differences between the two governments on the length of time it would take for Sinn Fein to establish its bona fides for participation in the all party talks, even if the conditions of a ceasefire and acceptance of the Mitchell principles were fulfilled.
The latest Anglo Irish rift has emerged at a crucial time, when key sources whose judgment has been accurate in the past believe that if the IRA ceasefire is not restored by Christmas, the current peace process will be dead. To this end, there is intensive activity behind the scenes to get the British government, in particular, to spell out the conditions governing Sinn Fein's entry to the Belfast talks in the event of a ceasefire.
Senior sources in both governments have confirmed that both sides accept the ground rules of a ceasefire, and adherence to the Mitchell principles of non violence, as a prerequisite for Sinn Fein's participation in the Belfast talks. A rift has developed, however, over the time required to establish that any new IRA ceasefire is definitive.
Under the ground rules paper for the all party talks, agreed by the two governments and appended as a schedule to the British legislation setting up the Northern Ireland Forum and the Stormont Castle talks, the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, will decide if Sinn Fein should enter the negotiations.
Meanwhile, the rift between the two governments on the conditions for Sinn Fein's participation in the talks is now seen to be partly responsible for the different responses from the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste on the matter.
Mr Bruton resisted Fianna Fail pressure - on three occasions in the Dail recently to state unequivocally that a ceasefire, coupled with the Mitchell principles, would guarantee Sinn Fein's entry into the talks.
"It is for those who wish to prove they do comply with the Mitchell principles, and that their commitment to peaceful methods is exclusive, to produce the most convincing evidence they can in support of their contention," he said.
He subsequently agreed with Mr Spring, who said in the Seanad the same day that they should not lower the minimum threshold for entry to talks "and neither should we raise it to new and unrealistic heights".
The British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, told the House of Commons following the IRA bombs at Lisburn that "more than soft words will be required to convince us that this does not represent a tactical device to be abandoned at any time".
Sir Patrick pursued a similar line in Dublin last Friday when he said: "We'll need to take whatever time is necessary to reach a well founded judgment that the action and the inactions of Sinn Fein/IRA actually match the words of any ceasefire that may be brought forward."
