The British and Irish governments have been strongly criticised by the Ulster Unionist Party for indicating a definite date when Sinn Fein could return to the talks in the absence of further IRA violence.
The UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, said he believed this was a mistake which degraded the process and degraded human life. "If it happens that the government do act in such a cynical manner, then we shall consider carefully what action we shall take in that situation, in order to ensure that Sinn Fein do not dictate and control the process," Mr Trimble said.
He would not speculate on what action the party would take if Sinn Fein were allowed to return, or whether the UUP would consider withdrawing from the process. Mr Trimble was speaking at a press conference in Belfast. The Ulster Democratic Party, which was told yesterday that it could re-enter the talks on Monday after a four-week expulsion, expressed anger at the decision. A spokesman, Mr John White, said Sinn Fein had been treated differently from his party.
The DUP deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson, said the British government had adopted a "week a life" principle, and had brought the political process into "a bloodsoaked gutter". The two main Opposition leaders, Mr John Bruton and Mr Ruairi Quinn, are supporting the Government's stance on the temporary expulsion of Sinn Fein. But the Sinn Fein TD, Mr Caoimhghin O Caolain, has suggested that the Government should be challenged on its part in the expulsion.
The Fine Gael leader, Mr Bruton, said that while suspension was inevitable once there was evidence of clear breaches of the Mitchell Principles by the IRA, the duration and terms of the suspension involved careful and difficult judgments by the governments.
The Labour leader, Mr Quinn, said the decision by the Governments to expel Sinn Fein from the all-party talks was regrettable but inevitable.