THE bitter divisions within unionism, exposed by the appointment of "Mr George Mitchell as chairman of the Stormont talks, are expected to be a contentious feature of tomorrow's first meeting of the Northern Ireland Forum.
It. was a day of continuing recrimination at Stormont yesterday as the DUP and Mr Robert McCartney's UK Unionist Party accused the Ulster Unionist Party of surrendering to British and Irish government pressure to impose Mr Mitchell as talks chairman.
There was no sign of that deep hostility abating last night despite appeals from the UUP leader, Mr David Trimble.
The unionist acrimony may spill over into the chamber of the Forum when it meets in Belfast tomorrow afternoon, under the initial chairmanship of Mr John Gorman, a Catholic Ulster Unionist.
Mr Trimble insisted there was to "sell out" of unionism, although he conceded that unionist unity was threatened under the barrage of what the UUP called "the posturing and abusive rhetoric of fellow unionists".
Notwithstanding the harsh criticism from Mr McCartney and the DUP, Mr Trimble hoped unionist unity could be restored. "Let's drawn a veil over those comments . . . this business will go on for a long time and people should settle in for a long haul and not throw their heads up at the first difficulty," he said.
While Dr Paisley and Mr McCartney railed against the appointment of Mr Mitchell, they nonetheless separately appeared in the conference room of Castle Buildings yesterday. A statement issued later through the Northern Ireland Office and the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin said the two party leaders had affirmed their acceptance of the Mitchell principles at a meeting chaired by the former senator.
However, the DUP and Mr McCartney both argued that their presence did not imply their acceptance of Mr Mitchell's chairmanship. A spokesman for the DUP leader said Dr Paisley had put forward his own seven principles; Mr Mitchell was not there at the start, although he came in later but did not make any comment.
Mr McCartney said he had accepted the Mitchell principles and added a further principle "that a majority have the right to determine the constitutional identity of their state". He addressed Mr Mitchell as "Sir" and never at any time referred to him as chairman.
Dr Paisley and Mr McCartney both declared their intention of being involved in Strand One and Strand Two of the negotiations but noting any sessions conducted under the chairmanship of Mr Mitchell.
In the meantime, the two governments and the parties, in a series of bilateral meetings involving Mr Mitchell, will attempt to agree procedures defining Mr Mitchell's talks role and setting the talks agenda.
Meanwhile, there were bitter words for the Mr Trimble from the Rev William McCrea of the DUP at Castle Buildings. As Mr Trimble was finishing a TV interview, and with the cameras still running, Mr McCrea accused the UUP of "surrendering Ulster" and "lying to the people of Ulster". He added: "Ulster is not for sale" and accused Mr Trimble of having a "guilty conscience".