MR Gerry Adams has predicted that the peace process will be restored but has provided no inkling of when the IRA might reinstate its ceasefire. He also indicated that Sinn Fein would contest the May 30th election.
The Sinn Fein president said that, while it was for the IRA to make its own judgment on whether to call a cease fire was convinced the peace process would be restored.
"I want to see the cessation restored. I want to see all armed actions ended," he said. "My firm conviction is that we will bring about a restoration of the peace process. But it isn't just down to Sinn Fein, it isn't just down to me, everybody has a job and role to play in this."
In, weekend interviews with RTE, and BBC Radio Ulster he again called on the SDLP to join Sinn Fein in boycotting the election. Mr Adams, however, said that if the SDLP did not join the boycott Sinn Fein would contest the election.
Mr Adams said the British government must give clear and unambiguous assurances that the talks would be real and meaningful. The Dublin Government needed to restore confidence in its handling of the peace process.
The international community, particularly the US, must be involved, and there must be an understanding that unionists would also engage meaningfully in the negotiations. Irrespective of whether the IRA restored its ceasefire, Mr Adams said, Sinn Fein would be at the all party negotiations on June 10th.
Meanwhile Mr Billy Hutchinson, spokesman for the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) said his understanding was that the loyalist paramilitary ceasefire was still in place.
