THE Tanaiste, Mr Spring, declined to say last night whether he was now more hopeful that all party talks could begin at the end of this month.
Speaking to The Irish Times after a Labour Party convention in Co Kildare, the Tanaiste said his meeting with Sir Patrick Mayhew earlier in the day was a "very solid meeting". He said the prim aim now was to maintain momentum.
Asked had he repeated the charge by Mr John Hume that the British government was now "buying" unionist votes, Mr Spring said this matter did not come up. He said he and Sir Patrick had worked through the Mitchell report. "Our main contention was that the report was adequate to bring us forward.
"We should have brought the other parties in on the basis of the report without being selective on offering new options," he said.
Asked was it now clearer to him why the British Prime Minister wanted to press ahead with elections in Northern Ireland, the Tanaiste said this was a political judgment by Britain. It was Britain's contention that you could not have all party talks unless you brought the unionists into it.
Asked if there was now any real chance of all party talks by the end of the month, Mr Spring said both governments had again reaffirmed yesterday this as their aim. He said those who wanted an elected body would have to convince the other parties that this was a sensible part of the peace process. "We have voiced our reservations. If David Trimble wants to promote an election, we want him to come and tell us his ideas."
The Tanaiste said between now and the resumed meeting of next Wednesday, there would be intensive discussions with other parties. "We want to reach out to all the parties to talk about the Mitchell report - and see how we can make progress on the basis of the report. Time is of the essence."