US Envoy Targets Executive Stalemate

Today's expected bid by a senior US official to kick-start NI Executive meetings will add to pressure on both Sinn Fein and the DUP to end the current political stalemate.

Hours after a DUP spokesman slammed Sinn Fein's refusal to join Executive meetings as "denting morale in the business community", the US Envoy Paula Dobriansky will meet parties at Stormont, primarily targeting the impasse.

Her visit is being billed as a follow-up to the US investment conference in May, but it is expected she will be even more focused on urging an end to the stalemate.

The Bush administration is urging that devolution of policing and justice takes place - backing the line coming out of London and Dublin, but placing the focus on the DUP.

The US view filtering through before today's meeting is that the devolution of policing and justice would 'cement the political process', as American investors will not be encouraged by signs of a 'Government which is not steady on its feet'.

While the emphasis today is on the DUP's role, the party last night made a pre-emptive strike, instead targeting Sinn Fein's failure to engage.

East Belfast MLA Robin Newton (pictured) said: "At this time of falling investment, bank crashes, share prices plunging headlong and energy costs escalating, this is a time to be pulling together.

"Sinn Fein is trying to have the luxury of playing party politics as the economy plunges deeper into trouble or even into meltdown.

"The electorate is rightly asking the question why senior politicians in Sinn Fein are refusing to accept their legal, moral and political responsibilities."

The Deputy Chair of the Assembly Employment and Learning Committee and member of the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee said the refusal of Sinn Fein to attend Executive meetings is creating low morale within the wider business community.

"There is no more time for dithering on the situation," he said, insisting that political leadership, beyond party politics, is required if anything is to be done to help, with a particular emphasis on the construction and retailing sectors in particular and industry as a whole.

"In this dire economic situation all the political parties need to work together. Standing outside the Executive door shouting in does no one any good.

"Businesses and individuals who face job losses, house repossessions and credit problems will just not forgive those who stand idly by as a shocking situation turns much worse," he concluded.

(BMcC)