THE Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, has spelt out what he calls "the characteristics of a genuine ceasefire". He said it was up to "Sinn Fein IRA" to demonstrate there had been a genuine ending of violence.
"What one should focus on is the quality of the ending of violence, whether it is merely another cynical manoeuvre such as we've seen in the past and is being predicted at the moment, or whether it is a genuine change of heart and a genuine turning away from violence.
He said the last ceasefire had been shown to be bogus. "There won't be very many people ready to be taken in by another manoeuvre of that nature.
Introducing the UUP's election candidates at party headquarters in Belfast's Glengall Street, Mr Trimble said his message to the people of Northern Ireland was: "The crucial thing is to strengthen the Ulster Unionist voice and the Ulster Unionist vote in the next parliament."
He denied that concessions won by the UUP in the last parliament were made because of the parliamentary arithmetic. "The key concessions were made on their merits, long before the government lost its majority.
He also rejected the notion that the UUP would lose influence in the next parliament if the incoming government had an overall majority. "The real source of influence that we had in the last parliament was not the parliamentary arithmetic, it was the fact that the government wanted to do something in Northern Ireland and it needed our participation in that process because it knew that without the Ulster Unionist Party it did not have a credible process."
The UUP has named Mr Fred Parkinson, a member of Lisburn Borough Council, as a possible candidate for West Belfast. "We are continuing discussions with the Democratic Unionist Party to see if there can be an agreed candidate," Mr Trimble said. But if no agreement was forthcoming, Mr Parkinson would stand for the UUP in the constituency.
Responding to claims that this would improve the chances of Sinn Fein president Mr Gerry Adams, Mr Trimble said: "We think it is important that everybody in Northern Ireland is given a chance positively to vote for the Union."
He urged the DUP to stand aside and give a clear ran to the UUP candidate in West Tyrone, Mr Willie Thompson, just as the UUP had not opposed the Rev William McCrea in Mid Ulster. "That one all draw within unionism could be the springboard for a two nil victory of unionism over republicanism in the election."
He believed the DUP candidate in West Tyrone, Mr Oliver Gibson, would stand down: "There are some indications already to that effect." However, a spokesman for the DUP said these were issues for the negotiations taking place between the two party leaders and that "Willie Thompson might stand down".
On North Belfast, Mr Trimble warned if the DUP insisted on running against the sitting member, Mr Cecil Walker of the UUP, this could give the seat to Sinn Fein's Mr Gerry Kelly. "It is in my experience, so far as I can remember, absolutely unprecedented for a sitting unionist member to be opposed where the consequence may be to put the seat at risk to an extreme republican."
Discussions with the DUP on electoral strategy had been amicable.
Mr Trimble and the Rev Ian Paisley are expected to have a meeting on the election tonight.