The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, told a hunger-strike rally in west Belfast republicans had nothing to fear from the Belfast Agreement. In an apparent attempt to reassure hardliners, he said: "There is nothing in that document which need concern anyone standing here or involved in the broad republican struggle."
Turn-out at the rally to commemorate the 17th anniversary of the 1981 strike was well down on previous years. Several hundred people took part in the event which normally attracts several thousand.
The family of hunger-striker Bobby Sands boycotted the rally and held their own private wreath-laying service at his grave in Milltown Cemetery.
Speakers at the rally made constant references to the need for republican unity. A leading republican, Mr Bik McFarland, said any people with anxieties should consult their leaders and attend local meetings. He said the IRA was firmly behind the Sinn Fein leadership.
Mr Martin Meehan, said republicans needed to be strong and united. "The only people who can divide republicans are republicans themselves," he stated.
He called on activists to "hold firm" at this critical stage. Both men appeared to implicitly endorse the Belfast Agreement. Statements were read out from republican prisoners in the Maze and Maghaberry supporting the leadership.
Mr Adams said some republicans might still need "to get their heads around difficult positions", but he insisted Sinn Fein remained a republican party, committed to an end to British rule.
Meanwhile, Ms Bernadette Sands McKevitt has condemned the Taoiseach's criticisms of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee for adopting a fundamentalist position. She said: "Justice and democracy are fundamentals and there is nothing wrong with standing up for them. If this and previous Irish governments had challenged the British occupation of our country there would be no need for groups like our Committee."