The Five Demands

Il Segretario di Stato, dopo aver smentito contatti tra il governo britannico e i movimenti dissidenti, rifiuta oggi di negare o confermare tali colloqui.

Parlando per la prima volta dopo le dichiarazioni di McGuinness, Owen Paterson ha detto che “il governo non ha mai affrontato questioni operative”, non smentendo così il viceprimoministro. Escludendo “significativi colloqui”, Paterson non ha comunque fatto allontanato il sospetto di sporadici contatti con i dissidenti repubblicani che potrebbero avere avuto luogo.
Incalzato dalle sue stesse dichiarazioni, ha voluto precisare che non sono in corso colloqui istituzionali tra il governo Cameron e i dissidenti: “La nostra posizione è chiara”- ha riferito Paterson- “e coerente con i precedenti governi, non si può avere colloqui significativi, discussioni serie e reali negoziazioni (…) con gente che non è impegnata a raggiungere i propri obiettivi con mezzi pacifici.”
Infine il Segretario di Stato ha aggiunto: “C’è un piccolo numero di gruppi molto pericoloso e non sottovalutiamo la loro minaccia al popolo”

Related Articles

• Paterson coy on dissident contact (bbc.co.uk)
• Northern Ireland secretary Owen Paterson rules out negotiating with dissident republicans (guardian.co.uk)
• Government will not talk to dissident republicans, says Northern Ireland secretary Owen Paterson (guardian.co.uk)
• Dissident talks ‘not a betrayal’ (bbc.co.uk)
• Dissident actions evil: Paterson (bbc.co.uk)
• Secret Talks with Dissidents (politics.ie)
• Government ‘talks to dissidents’ (bbc.co.uk)

Paterson coy on dissident republican contact (BBC News Northern Ireland)
Owen Paterson Owen Paterson said the government would not talk to dissident republicans
The NI Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, has refused to confirm or deny whether there has been contact between the government and dissident republicans.
Mr Paterson was speaking for the first time since Martin McGuinness claimed earlier this month the government had been talking to the terrorists.
He told the BBC the government never discussed “operational issues”, but said it could not have “meaningful talks” with the groups.
“”Our position is completely clear, and consistent with previous governments, you cannot have meaningful talks, serious discussions, real negotiations whatever you want to call them with people who are not absolutely commited to peaceful means of pursuing their goals,” he said.
Mr Paterson was talking to Radio Four’s Today programme following last weekend’s no-warning bomb in Lurgan, County Armagh, which was blamed on dissident republicans and injured three children.
Police later came under attack from petrol bombs and other missiles.
Mr Paterson added:”There are a small number of very dangerous groups and we do not underestimate the threat they pose to the public.
“There are attacks that have failed thankfully in the last week which if they had succeeded would almost certainly have wounded people very badly and possibly could have killed a number of individuals some as young as 12, one as young as two.
“These attacks are disgusting, they will not achieve anything.
“Political violence does not achieve its aims.”
DUP East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell said his party would be meeting with Mr Paterson to seek clarification of his comments.
“We will be meeting with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to try and flush this out once and for all,” he said.
“This is not too difficult to understand either talks have taken place or they haven’t.
“They have either taken place with the approval or the knowledge of the British government, with or without a third party, there are yes or no answers to all of those questions.
“It would be much better if he spelt this out clearly.”
There have been a number of bomb attacks on security forces by dissident republican terrorists this month, including a 200lb device which exploded outside Strand Road police station in Londonderry.
Dissidents are also believed to have been responsible for leaving booby-trap bombs under the cars of a soldier, policewoman and civilian police station guard in Bangor, Kilkeel and Cookstown.
On Sunday, PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott said he did not think it would be a betrayal if politicians engaged in dialogue with dissident groups, but said conditions would have to be attached.