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20/03/2008
Blair 'Too Generous On Republican Concessions'
Tony Blair went too far in his concessions to republicans during negotiations preceding the Belfast Agreement.
The former Prime Minister's Chief of Staff, Jonathan Powell has admitted, "they made mistakes" in trying to balance concessions between unionist and nationalist parties.
"It ended in a loss of credibility with the Agreement and with us particularly from the unionist population," he said.
"We probably should not have done that," Mr Powell has said.
The former top No 10 aide has also revealed that during the crucial negotiations involving the UK Government and Sinn Fein, Tony Blair actually altered Irish republican statements.
It was believed that it was "normal in a process of negotiation", and according to Mr Powell, Tony Blair had indeed redrafted an IRA statement - but it was done in the presence of Mr Adams.
Mr Powell's new book - just published - also claimed that while the PM "regularly redrafted Sinn Fein statements"- vice versa was also true.
According to the Irish News, Mr Adams has admitted that statements "had been exchanged" and said republicans in turn, had also helped write British statements during the peace process.
"It is normal in a process of negotiations for opponents to exchange drafts and seek to persuade the others to use words or language that would be helpful," he said.
"Sinn Fein exchanged drafts at different times with the British and Irish governments and with the unionists. All of them used words suggested by Sinn Fein.
"The success of this approach is evident in the advances that have been made and the fact that the political institutions are now functioning," Adams said.
Powell's book - serialised in The Guardian newspaper - also revealed that the ex Prime Minister repeatedly asked Mr Adams if he could meet the IRA’s Army Council.
Mr Adams confirmed the request had been made but said he had declined because "the leadership of the IRA did not feel that such a meeting would be helpful to the process".
In his book on the peace process, Mr Powell said the Prime Minister had suggested the IRA men "could have worn masks" to conceal their identities during any meetings.
"Tony was always convinced of the powers of persuasion that he had to win people over," Mr Powell told The Guardian.
"About three or four times he suggested to Gerry Adams that he should meet the IRA Army Council.
Adams said: "Well I'm not really sure about that."
"One time he said 'yes, maybe', but then it came to nothing."
In his book, 'Great Hatred, Little Room: Making Peace in Northern Ireland', Mr Powell also defended the decision to concentrate on dealings with Sinn Fein during negotiations.
"We believed at the time there was every chance the IRA would go back to violence just as they had with the Canary Wharf bomb."
(BMcC)
The former Prime Minister's Chief of Staff, Jonathan Powell has admitted, "they made mistakes" in trying to balance concessions between unionist and nationalist parties.
"It ended in a loss of credibility with the Agreement and with us particularly from the unionist population," he said.
"We probably should not have done that," Mr Powell has said.
The former top No 10 aide has also revealed that during the crucial negotiations involving the UK Government and Sinn Fein, Tony Blair actually altered Irish republican statements.
It was believed that it was "normal in a process of negotiation", and according to Mr Powell, Tony Blair had indeed redrafted an IRA statement - but it was done in the presence of Mr Adams.
Mr Powell's new book - just published - also claimed that while the PM "regularly redrafted Sinn Fein statements"- vice versa was also true.
According to the Irish News, Mr Adams has admitted that statements "had been exchanged" and said republicans in turn, had also helped write British statements during the peace process.
"It is normal in a process of negotiations for opponents to exchange drafts and seek to persuade the others to use words or language that would be helpful," he said.
"Sinn Fein exchanged drafts at different times with the British and Irish governments and with the unionists. All of them used words suggested by Sinn Fein.
"The success of this approach is evident in the advances that have been made and the fact that the political institutions are now functioning," Adams said.
Powell's book - serialised in The Guardian newspaper - also revealed that the ex Prime Minister repeatedly asked Mr Adams if he could meet the IRA’s Army Council.
Mr Adams confirmed the request had been made but said he had declined because "the leadership of the IRA did not feel that such a meeting would be helpful to the process".
In his book on the peace process, Mr Powell said the Prime Minister had suggested the IRA men "could have worn masks" to conceal their identities during any meetings.
"Tony was always convinced of the powers of persuasion that he had to win people over," Mr Powell told The Guardian.
"About three or four times he suggested to Gerry Adams that he should meet the IRA Army Council.
Adams said: "Well I'm not really sure about that."
"One time he said 'yes, maybe', but then it came to nothing."
In his book, 'Great Hatred, Little Room: Making Peace in Northern Ireland', Mr Powell also defended the decision to concentrate on dealings with Sinn Fein during negotiations.
"We believed at the time there was every chance the IRA would go back to violence just as they had with the Canary Wharf bomb."
(BMcC)
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