UNIONIST and loyalist uncertainty over the Northern talks appeared to deepen over the weekend with a warning from one fringe party that it would boycott the process unless the British government gave a commitment on majority consent within Northern Ireland.The Ulster Democratic Party, the political wing of the loyalist paramilitary organisation the Ulster Defence Association, has demanded that the Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, should define consent.His remarks follow a recently published interview with Dr Mowlam in which she said she did necessarily define consent "in numbers terms".
Consent, under which any political settlement has to have the support of a majority within Northern Ireland, is central the loyalist ceasefire.The UDP leader, Mr Gary McMichael, said that unless Dr Mowlam gave a satisfactory definition of consent his party would not attend the talks, due to begin on September 15th at Stormont.He said: "There is not room for misunderstanding on this. The loyalist ceasefires were called on the clear understanding that the consent of the people of Northern Ireland was the primary parameter. If the Secretary of State is eschewing that, then we are into a different ball game."Meanwhile, a second Ulster Unionist Party MP joined the called on the party leader, Mr David Trimble, to boycott talks involving Sinn Fein. The Ulster Unionist MP for East Londonderry, Mr William Ross, said many party members felt unionists "should have nothing to do with these thugs."Last week, the West Tyrone MP, Mr William Thompson, said it would be a betrayal for a unionist to take party in the "squalid" Stormont talks.Mr Trimble has yet to make public his position regarding the talks other than to say that "one way or another" the UUP voice will be heard.Loyalist figures have indicated that if the Ulster Unionists decide not to participate in the talks, the UDP and the Progressive Unionist Party, the political wing of the other main loyalist paramilitary organisation, the Ulster Volunteer Force, will almost certainly pull out.