THE Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, has said he was "not optimistic" that a political package would be put together for him to take to the IRA to re establish the ceasefire.
However, speaking at Dublin Castle yesterday, where he met the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Ahern, for the first time since the breakdown of the ceasefire, Mr Adams also indicated it was "too early to say" if such a package would yet be produced by the two governments. "It depends on John Major."
He said the peace process had to be got back on track "because the alternative is too dreadful a vista".
Harsh exchanges are believed to have punctuated yesterday's 2 1/2 hour meeting between the Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein sides, with Mr Ahern pressing for all possible influence to be exerted on the IRA for a renewed ceasefire. The Fianna Fail delegation denounced the end of the ceasefire as deeply damaging to the peace process.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Ahern said the Fianna Fail delegation had "stressed our absolute abhorrence of violence and our shock and dismay at the breakdown in the ceasefire.
"In the strongest way possible, we asked Sinn Fein to use its influence to stop the IRA violence immediately. I would hope that the message we strongly gave will go back to the men of violence.
Describing the meeting as "one of the frankest I have ever been at", Mr Ahern said its value would be determined by whether violence ceased. Meanwhile, the two governments were the "essential ingredients" in paving the way towards all party talks. It was imperative that violence was ended and the peace process rescued.
The Fianna Fail spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Ray Burke, said the two governments must be persuaded to set a date for negotiations on a three strand basis. Fianna Fail would support the SDLP and Mr John Hume in their approach to elections, he said, adding that the proposals of the UUP for a 90 member elected body were "totally unhelpful".
Mr Adams warned it was going to be "a very difficult chore to put the peace process back on the rails", but everyone, particularly those in leadership, must be prepared to take it on. Everyone wanted to see "the end of armed action" but 18 months of a ceasefire did not amount to peace.
It was impossible now to positive a positive response to whether the peace would be rescued. The British government was "in hock to unionists", whose latest suggestions were "ridiculous".
Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein agreed on the value of American involvement in the peace process, and also agreed that contact& should continue between them and that meetings would take place as circumstances warranted.
Mr Ahern was accompanied at yesterday discussion in the offences of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in Dublin Castle by his deputy, Ms Mary O'Rourke, Mr Burke, and members of the Fianna Fail delegation to the Forum, including Mr Noel Dempsey, Dr Jim McDaid, Mr Jimmy Leonard and Mr Eamon O Cuiv.
Mr Adams attended the meeting with the party's general secretary, Ms Lucilita Bhreathnach, the vice president, Mr Pat Doherty, and ard chomhairle member, Mr Martin McGuinness.