BELFAST A hard-line leader of Northern Ireland's Protestantcommunity accused Britain on Tuesday of being in secret contact withthe IRA amid reports that the republican guerrillas are on the brinkof calling a cease-fire.
Ian Paisley, the province's fiercest champion of continuingunion with Britain, said "traitorous" officials had made clandestineapproaches to the Irish Republican Army in breach of their publicpolicy of shunning "terrorists."
His allegations of double-dealing by London coincided withstrong speculation that the IRA is about to suspend its 25-year-oldcampaign against British rule in Northern Ireland in the hope ofwinning concessions on an Anglo-Irish peace plan.
The cease-fire momentum mounted on Tuesday when a member of aU.S. peace mission due to visit Belfast this week said the provinceis moving toward a historic breakthrough after a quarter-century ofconflict.
"I'm hopeful there will (be a cease-fire). I think we'recloser than we've ever been to a major step in the north," said U.S.publisher Niall O'Dowd, whose group has been discussing peaceprospects with the IRA's political wing, Sinn Fein.
Protestant leader Paisley told reporters in Belfast he had"firm evidence" the British government had preempted a cease-fire byreopening contacts with the IRA some months ago.
"Certain traitors in Westminster (London) have been working asagents for Dublin - secretly, perfidiously and regardless of thedemocratic wishes of the Ulster people," he said. .
Republican circles would neither confirm nor deny that theBritish government had been in touch with the IRA, but politicalsources said they could not rule out the possibility thatcommunications had taken place.
The Northern Ireland Office referred reporters to pledges thatIRA dealings would be within "publicly stated policies."
Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Patrick Mayhew has ruled outfull talks with Sinn Fein unless it and the IRA abandon violence as ameans of pressing for a united Ireland. Last year he admittedcontacts took place after an IRA bombing killed two boys.
Last December's Anglo-Irish peace blueprint, the Downing StreetDeclaration, said Sinn Fein could not be brought into peacenegotiations without clear evidence of a permanent cease-fire.
Irish newspapers are all confident that the guerrillas areplanning their first indefinite cease-fire since 1975, despite hintsfrom Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams that no announcement will be madeduring the Irish-American visit on Friday.
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