A former British defence minister involved in the decision to let convicted British army murderers stay in the army is to meet the family of a Belfast teenager they shot dead.
Northern Ireland Minister John Spellar had ruled out holding talks with Jean McBride while she fought to have the soldiers who murdered her son Peter thrown out of the Army.
But with a deadline for mounting a fresh appeal against the decision now past,Mr Spellar is now willing to arrange a meeting.
A Northern Ireland Office spokesman said: "We can confirm the minister hasoffered to meet Mrs McBride. No date has been fixed yet."
Mrs McBride was outraged when she learned Mr Spellar's appointment meant hewould be responsible for human rights as well as criminal justice and equality.
His move to Belfast during last month's Cabinet reshuffle was putting herfamily through even further suffering, she said.
As former armed forces minister in 2000 Mr Spellar was involved in thedecision to allow Scots Guards Mark Wright and James Fisher to remain in thearmy following their release from jail three years after being sentenced to lifefor murder.
Peter McBride was unarmed when he was shot dead by the soldiers in north Belfast as he ran away from a military patrol.
His family has staged a tireless legal campaign against the Ministry ofDefence's decision.
The fight was boosted by a ruling in the Belfast Court of Appeal last monththat there were no exceptional circumstances for allowing the soldiers to remainin the army.
When he arrived in Northern Ireland Mr Spellar initially resisted demands fora meeting because of the possibility of further legal action.
With that threat lifted, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams insisted it wasessential he hold talks with the McBrides as soon as possible.
He said: "This was an issue which was of concern to nationalists in generaland Sinn Féin in particular given that his responsibilities cover human rights.
"We raised this with Mr Spellar and his office on a number of occasions. Iwelcome the fact that he has now agreed to meet with the McBride family at theearliest opportunity."
PA