UNIONIST PARTIES ARE making “a concerted effort” to push progress made on the peace process back to the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, Gerry Adams has said.

“This is extremely serious,” he said, “It is also unacceptable.”

Speaking from Washington, where the Sinn Féin leader is attending a series of events ahead of St Patrick’s Day, Adams criticised the British government’s for not backing the Haas proposals.

Cross-party talks on legacy issues, chaired by former US diplomat Richard Haas, broke down late last year.

“Undermining”

Adams added that the British government’s decision to renege on Weston Park agreement, in which it was agreed to resolve issues surround so-called On the Runs was “undermining the peace process”.

“The Haass proposals on dealing with legacy issues were a compromise that offered the best hope for bringing closure to victims and families,” the Deputy said, “and of removing this divisive issue from the political agenda.”

Instead, as evidenced in the British Secretary of State’s recent speech, they have adopted a negative, partisan and biased position that ignores the violence of the British state and of the unionist parties and paramilitary organisations.

He described this as “one-sided unionist narrative of the conflict”.

“A deception by omission”: Robinson says the DUP was misled over ‘on-the runs’ >

Background: Haass talks with NI parties fail to reach consensus, but Gilmore says agreement is essential >