SINN FEIN'S special conference in Athboy, Co Meath, today will be given a report from an IRA convention held three weeks ago. The convention fully endorsed the Sinn Fein leadership's peace strategy and set out the conditions for a new ceasefire, which delegates decided should be called if the British government met certain conditions, republican sources said in Belfast yesterday.
Today's conference, to discuss the peace process and Sinn Fein's strategy, will be held in closed session.
Its significance was played down by a range of republican contacts in Belfast. "The decisions were made by the IRA three weeks ago. The conference is just to inform Sinn Fein members of what happened and to have IRA strategy rubber stamped," one west Belfast IRA member said.
A former prisoner said he would not be attending the conference as "the big one has already taken place". The convention was held either in Dublin or close to the city. Around loo delegates from both sides of the Border attended.
The convention is believed to have been initiated by the IRA leadership because of growing friction over the peace process.
However, despite complaints delegates endorsed the leadership's peace strategy. They also decided that another ceasefire should be called if the British government met certain conditions.
There would have to be a guarantee of Sinn Fein's almost immediate entry into all party talks. The IRA would be prepared to wait only about a fortnight after a cessation for this to happen, sources said.
The IRA also demanded guarantees that there be substantive negotiations and that the talks should not get bogged down in procedure. They wanted the British government to set a timeframe for a conclusion of negotiations.
Delegates strongly opposed the hand over of any weapons in advance of an overall settlement. Before the convention, IRA units were asked to discuss the prospects of continuing an armed campaign.
"The feeling was that another 25 years would not necessarily bring us victory," said one activist in Andersonstown.
Geraldine Kennedy, Political Correspondent, adds: The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, said he hoped the IRA was concluding an internal debate to end its policy of violence and agree to a new ceasefire.
"They have gone through extensive internal debates with a view to changing their policy", he told reporters in Vienna yesterday. "I hope that this debate is coming to a conclusion and that we will be able to have a ceasefire that, on this occasion, will hold in all circumstances."