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Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness to meet UDA chief

By Brian Rowan
Wednesday, 16 December 2009

Martin McGuinness

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Martin McGuinness is to meet loyalist leaders including senior UDA figure Jackie McDonald, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal.

If the planned talks go ahead they will represent an historic first meeting at the most senior levels of the republican and loyalist leaderships.

This newspaper understands the Deputy First Minister has the meeting pencilled into his diary for today, but is awaiting confirmation from the loyalist side.

UDA ‘brigadier’ McDonald — a member of that organisation’s so-called inner council — has been in Brussels since Monday and is not due back in Belfast until today.

A senior loyalist source said: “I know it has been talked about and people have crossed that Rubicon. There is no objection to meeting McGuinness. It’s about how it’s done.”

Earlier this week another senior loyalist said he hoped that meeting would take place this week.

“He (McGuinness) is just waiting on us to say yes,” the paramilitary leader said.

Last week UDA leaders met the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) and held separate talks with First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson.

With the Stormont stand-off continuing on the question of the devolution of policing and justice, the UDA is seeking assurances on Northern Ireland’s political future before making its next move on decommissioning.

The deadline to complete that process is February.

“The only problem is if devolved government falls apart,” a senior paramilitary leader told this newspaper.

He was speaking just hours before the First and Deputy First Ministers rowed publicly over the question of the transfer of policing and justice powers.

If the McGuinness/loyalist talks go ahead, the issue of the dissident republican threat is likely to be on the agenda.

Last night a Sinn Fein spokesman could not confirm that a meeting would take place today.

He added, however, that his party has its “own issues to raise with loyalists, including recent violence linked to the UDA and the need for them to complete their work with the IICD”.

It is not clear whether loyalists intend to meet the Deputy First Minister as a UDA delegation or whether the meeting will be with the politically-aligned Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG).

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Philip
"The Republic of Ireland only came into being because certain people set up a kind of "anti-parliament and anti-state" in 1916." How about that for screening out 800 years of history. Ever asked yourself WHY they set up an "anti state" ?

For the record The Act of Union 1801 only came into being through massive bribery, corruption and an iron fist.

NI only came into being because fat cat English and Ulster Unionist investors there wouldn't have it otherwise, once again using an iron fist.

But fair play to you for a different, though not original, approach. Now if only you could screen out the 45% and rising number of people in NI who quite rightly and logically see a united Ireland without interference from Britain as the end to all the trouble. Not to mention the probable 98% + of the people in the Republic.

Posted by Fair Play | 23.12.09, 09:25 GMT

Ulysses32, the answer to your question is no! There have been enough marxist revolutionary comedians in Northern Ireland during the past 90 years. The Republic of Northern Ireland or Northern Republic is an "idea" - not an entity. RONI seeks to persuade the Peoples of Northern Ireland and their international well-wishers to adopt a thrid way to the two ways of the GFA - Independence. The "idea" is being given substance through the two websites. The Republic of Ireland only came into being because certain people set up a kind of "anti-parliament and anti-state" in 1916. The difference between RONI and the ROI is that RONI recognises and supports the GFA and Northern Ireland Assembly. The main changes to be effected are: 1. Transfer of Land Ownership of Northern Ireland from the UK to the State of Northern Ireland and 2. Replacement of the Queen and Crown with a President. Without unwanted interference from either Britain or Ireland, the 842 years of troubles will begin to evapourate.

Posted by Philip Holdway-Davis | 17.12.09, 20:36 GMT

Philip, are you up for the part of Wolfie Smith in a new tv series, or something?

Posted by Ulysses32 | 17.12.09, 13:56 GMT

Wiliam, who is Barbaran Ruane ? When you don't know what or who you are talking about it's better to stop talking.

Posted by john | 17.12.09, 00:59 GMT

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." George Bernard Shaw

The Republic of Northern Ireland welcomes and encourages talks between ex-IRA leader Martin McGuinness and UDA Brigadier Jackie McDonald. The IRA's, UDA/UVF's and British Governments "unreasonableness" in the past has led to much Trouble for the 90% "reasonable" population. The Northern Republic calls upon all "unreasonable" parties to abandon the failed ways of the past and accept the only chance for true Justice and Peace - the ultimate "unreasonableness" of an Independent Northern Ireland. With no foreign Irish or British Government meddling in Northern Ireland, the Peoples can truly start to enjoy a "reasonable" life for them and the generations after them.

Comments welcome: www.youtube.com/philipholdway

Posted by Philip Holdway | 16.12.09, 21:33 GMT

i am sure they will have a lot in common!

Posted by peter | 16.12.09, 16:41 GMT

This might work out and it might be a positive step forward.

Glaxon, I don't think comparing these people to Nelson Mandela is a fair comparison. Nelson Mandela reformed himself and whole-heartedly gave up violent means to achieve a political goal and he demanded others do the same.

Nelson Mandela looked up to Gandhi and lived by Gandhian principles.

These people look up to Michael Stone and Torrens Knight.

Posted by honest Joe | 16.12.09, 15:26 GMT

Personally, I have never had difficulty in terming the 26 counties whatever title they selected as choice. eg: The Irish Free State, Eire and from 1948 The Republic of Ireland. What I cannot understand why those calling themselves republicans find "Northern Ireland" anathema and steadfastly refuse to speak the words, preferring The Six Counties, The North and The Black Six. Changing that sort of mindset would do much to cement friendship and trust

Posted by Ulsterman | 16.12.09, 15:11 GMT

there seems to be many issues that need to be addressed and dealt with before devolution takes place. all these pushes for deadlines seem to be solely for the purpose of qualifying for europe funds avaliable.

Posted by darklord999 | 16.12.09, 15:10 GMT

Here here Maggie- hoping 2010 brings a new era.

Posted by Well said | 16.12.09, 15:00 GMT

The Late David Ervine once asked if Unionists were going to wait until every republican shop lifter was arrested before we move on? This was said around the time of needing photos for decommissioning & sack cloth and ashes remarks. Our politicans need to move forward and stop being so negative, Martin McGuinness has shown by his words that he is stepping up to all challenges for him and his community. This is a very important part of our Peace Process, that only begun in 1994 with the cease-fires, if these actions get more guns out of circulation it must be positive. People and attidutes are changing, painfully slowly at times, but they are changing and i welcome this development.

Posted by Stephen Blacker | 16.12.09, 14:36 GMT

William;

"Where is the voice for those who are not unionist, loyalist, republican or nationalist and for those who have no religious links?"

why, I believe I've found it! And here on the BT comments page - it actually wasn't that difficult to find, once I began looking.

I love it when a tiny minority of people manage to twist language to claim that everybody else - i.e., the vast majority - are extremists, and that they're the only right-thinking people.

Posted by Barry | 16.12.09, 14:34 GMT

Am I the only person who read that article and was wanting to know what Jackie McDonald is doing in Brussels?
I mean its not a likely holiday destination so I assume he was on offical (paid by us) business.

Everyone probably realises we need to engage with the former terrorists but I think it is the rewards that these people have received gets most people's back up - this goes for all the former (?) gangsters its just McDonald is mentioned here.

Posted by Ian | 16.12.09, 14:06 GMT

We had Nelson Mandela win the peace prize and was convicted as a communist terrorist. He has turned out to be a shining example to all so why not give these former freedom fighter or terrorist money too.

Posted by Glaxon Thorpe | 16.12.09, 13:36 GMT

talking has been the only way forward there is no where left to go! Our families want a peaceful future and politics should be the way forward not back to 1916 or 1690! Ulster families need help in every day live they have suffered more than a lot of folk in the western world for many, many years! The job of politicians is to put harmony into the family not work in their own interests! Heres hoping 2010 will be a new dawn!

Posted by Maggie Long | 16.12.09, 13:17 GMT

Do I really live in a country where the UDA and Sinn Fein are really regarded as respectable political organisations? Why is it that the voice of extremism dominates the political agenda? Where is the voice for those who are not unionist, loyalist, republican or nationalist and for those who have no religious links?

Posted by William Murphy | 16.12.09, 12:56 GMT

Good to see but while there are drugs being sold to poison our youngsters these gangsters have no place at any table

Posted by watchdog | 16.12.09, 12:14 GMT

What can you say. Some politicians are pro-active and work to get the job done.
Others, on the other hand, choose to find obstacles so that they don't have to make tough decisions. Then they blame others for stagnation. They even go as far as blaming the electorate. Public confidence, indeed.

Posted by Ulysses32 | 16.12.09, 12:12 GMT