THE two fringe loyalist parties were last night confident that they will not be expelled from the multi party talks. The majority mood among delegates at Stormont yesterday was that the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) and the Ulster Democratic Party (UPP) should be allowed to remain at the process.
Following a "spirited" rebuttal by the loyalist parties of an attempt by the DUP to have the parties ejected from the talks, informed sources predicted the British and Irish governments will today decide in their favour.
Such a decision would be a "dry run" for Sinn Fein's entry into the talks, said the DUP's justice spokesman, Mr Ian Paisley Jnr.
The DUP is seeking to have the parties expelled because of the Combined Loyalist Military Command (CLMC) death threat against dissident loyalists Billy Wright and Alex Kerr. Under the ground rules for the talks, the two governments must decide whether the parties should be exspelled or whether some "appropriate action" should be taken against them.
Their decision is expected today, although last night the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, said it was "difficult to know" whether it would be announced this morning. He would only say last night the two governments were considering the DUP complaint and the loyalist parties' rebuttal.
The two parties, led by their chief spokesmen Mr David Ervine for the PUP and Mr Gary McMichael for the UDP were "grilled" for more than three hours yesterday by the other parties about the threat and their commitment to the Mitchell principles on non-violence and democracy.
The attempt to expel the loyalist parties was led by the DUP with the support of Mr Robert McCartney's UK Unionist Party. All other parties, while putting tough questions, generally sided with the loyalist parties, and this may have an important bearing on the decision of the two governments.
A key and influential intervention in favour of the two parties also came from the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader, Mr David Trimble, who said he was satisfied that a joint statement by the PUP and UDP reaffirmed their commitment to the Mitchell principles. "The document is an implicit rejection of the CLMC threats," said Mr Trimble. He hoped that the two parties would now use their influence to have the death threat lifted.
In their defence, the PUP and UDP, while avoiding the word "condemn", insisted they were committed to the Mitchell principles. Mr Ervine and Mr McMichael said they subscribed "honestly and sincerely" to the principles.
"We reaffirm now our absolute and total commitment to the principles of democracy today. We resolutely oppose the use ore threat of violence from whatever source, they said. Both parties reject the furtherance of political aims through violence.
The two parties also insisted that they were constitutionally based and they only ever offered, when requested, a "political analysis" to the CLMC. They exerted influence where possible but had "no authority" over their policies or activities.
Mr Ian Paisley Jnr, of the DUP, said some of the arguments used yesterday were a "dry run to allow republicans into the talks without renouncing the IRA. The British government would go to any lengths to keep the two parties in the process. They are holding the big cherry to the IRA. Pretty soon the door will be open for them to come to the talks."
By implication, he was critical of Mr Trimble and the UUP. "Unfortunately, some people who call themselves unionists are opening the door for the participation of the IRA in these talks," he said.
Mr Paisley said that the DUP was still considering seeking a judicial review if it was unhappy with today's decision by the two governments. The DUP would not be walking out of the process in such an eventuality, he said.
In a separate development, Alliance leader Lord Alderdice is considering lodging a written complaint with Mr George Mitchell, claiming that during the summer marching season both the UUP and the DUP themselves breached the Mitchell principles. He added, however, that Alliance was not seeking the expulsion of these parties.
