Delegates claim council is united behind Trimble

The Ulster Unionist Council has united behind David Trimble's leadership in the peace process, according to a number of delegates…

The Ulster Unionist Council has united behind David Trimble's leadership in the peace process, according to a number of delegates who commented after Saturday's meeting in the Water front Hall in Belfast.

Delegates were going home "very happy", said one woman from Co Fermanagh. "The process has to work and I think it will work."

IRA decommissioning remained pivotal to delegates, said Mr Billy Tate, from Waringstown, Co Down. "The simplest way forward is for the IRA to decommission. I think David Trimble has remained on the moral high ground. He's supported by all of the world's leaders."

Mr Tate said the most recent de Chastelain report had not produced the necessary hand-over of IRA weaponry.

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But he also believed an inclusive administration could work. "We never thought we'd see Martin McGuinness in government but he is there. So let's get the guns handed over and get on with running the country."

Delegates voiced mixed feeling about the suspension of the political institutions. Ms Lorraine McCutcheon said it was sad to see the executive put on hold. "I'm unhappy with the suspension, but I'm 100 per cent behind David Trimble and his position is strong now," she said.

Mr Alan Crowe, a Belfast councillor, said he was disappointed about the suspension. "But the feeling in the party is that we had no alternative."

An elderly delegate from Armagh said she was happy suspension had occurred. "We cannot tolerate republicans having guns which they could use at any time to shoot us. If they're in a peace process why do they need them? Are they honestly saying that they want peace?" she asked.

The party was "standing together", according to a delegate from Strabane, Co Tyrone. "I'm behind David Trimble, he is a brilliant leader.

"I think he has politically outmanoeuvred Sinn Fein, but I'm not being triumphalist about it because I want to see a settlement."

A member of the party's youth wing, Mr Gary McAllister from north Belfast, said that while Mr Trimble's motion was supported at the meeting, he believed the party leader was "running out of friends and people were running out of patience.

"We have been told, `Ah, you'll get there,' but where is the proof that the republicans have shifted? Because they haven't, they haven't handed over a bullet, they haven't set out a timetable. The only people who move are us and every time we take a step closer to republicans, they take another step back."

According to Mr Roy Leckey from Gilford, Co Down, the Belfast Agreement will be null and void if IRA decommissioning does not commence by May 22nd.

"If the IRA doesn't deliver, the situation will change from a review to a re-negotiation," he said.