THE SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, has been invited to a meeting in the Maze Prison by UDA and UVF prisoners. It coincides with a warning from a political representative of the UVF that the loyalist paramilitary ceasefire should not be taken for granted.
The invitation to Mr Hume - a first in Northern politics - comes as the Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble today meets loyalist prisoners in the Maze, also at the invitation of the prisoners.
Mr William Smith of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP), which is linked to the UVF, last night said the need for talks and movement on the prisoners issue was never more urgent and the loyalist ceasefire was not yet guaranteed. His warning adds to the significance of the invitation to the SDLP leader.
This is the first time that loyalist prisoners have issued such an invitation to the SDLP leader and in that context was "not insignificant", Mr Mark Durkan, a former party chairman, said last night.
The invitation was issued through Mr John White, prisoners' spokesman for the Ulster Democratic Party (UDP), which is linked to the UDA. The prisoners asked for the meeting so that Mr Hume and the SDLP could hear at first hand the views of loyalist political prisoners and for them to hear yours on the prisoners issue and other political matters".
Mr Hume was unavailable for comment last night, but Mr Durkan was confident there would be no difficulty in arranging the encounter. "No date has been fixed, but we will be replying to Mr White, and I expect it will just be a matter of sorting out diaries," he said.
"John Hume is not averse to talking to anybody if he feels it could be helpful to maintaining and securing the loyalist ceasefire," Mr Durkan said.
Mr Hume, who in the past has met the IRA leadership, has often said that he would be prepared to meet the loyalist leadership if it would help to advance the peace process.
Mr Smith told the BBC yesterday that the fact that the loyalist paramilitaries had not violently reacted "so far" to the IRA bombing in Lisburn should not be "built up into a false sense of security that the loyalist ceasefire is again in the back pocket".
Mr Trimble and the UUP honorary secretary, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, accompanied by Mr Smith and the UDP leader, Mr Gary McMichael, are this morning due to meet loyalist prisoners at the Maze.
In a statement, the UUP politicians said the purpose of the meeting was to "offer reassurance to prisoners that there is still opportunity to reach a political settlement in the talks process".
Mr Trimble and Mr Donaldson said they "will urge the prisoners to use their influence to maintain the loyalist ceasefire, and to support the democratic process through political dialogue".
Asked why the UUP would meet loyalist paramititaries but not Sinn Fein, Mr Donaldson said there was a clear distinction between the two groups.
"The fact is the loyalist paramilitaries have held their ceasefire for two years now, and have demonstrated some commitment to the democratic process, whereas the IRA are engaged in a violent campaign at present," he said.
"Their ceasefire has been broken and, indeed, during their ceasefire we know that they were carrying out preparations for a return to violence. They have not demonstrated a commitment to the democratic process."
