THE Sinn Fein chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, yesterday briefed US politicians and the media in Washington on the peace process.
On Capitol Hill, he met the chairman of the House Committee on International Relations, Mr Ben Gilmar. He also met the other co-chairmen of the Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs, Mr Peter King, Mr Richard Neal and Mr Tom Manton.
Mr McLaughlin told The Irish Times the talks had obviously not got off to a "very auspicious start". If Sinn Fein was not to be allowed to take part then they would become yet another in a long record of failed initiatives.
Concerning an IRA ceasefire, Mr McLaughlin said Sinn Fein was trying to re create the favourable conditions that led to the one in August 1994.
If all parties played their part, he believed the IRA would respond. He took some encouragement from the IRA statement that it was `monitoring' the situation.
On unionist opposition to the role of Mr George Mitchell, he said Mr David Trimble had been "more circumspect" than Mr Paisley.
Asked whether he thought Mr Mitchell would withdraw from chairing the talks, Mr McLaughlin said "he must have got a commitment that neither government will back down. So it is a question of who blinks first".
Mr McLaughlin will travel to Canada today for further meetings.