DIFFERENCES are still to be bridged by the British and Irish governments despite a weekend of intensive communications to try to bring about a new IRA ceasefire.
Senior officials in the Taoiseach's Department and at 10 Downing Street are involved in continuing negotiations about the statement required from Mr John Major in response to the Hume/ Adams document setting out the conditions for a renewed ceasefire.
While Mr Bruton did not speak to Mr Major about the matter at the weekend, a telephone call is not ruled out in the next couple of days. Meanwhile, Mr Anthony Lake, the US National Security Adviser, last night said the peace talks in the North seemed unlikely to produce an IRA ceasefire.
With co ordinated Anglo Irish efforts believed to be intensifying, the three Coalition leaders were increasingly hopeful of a breakthrough in the peace process at joint press conference on the bail referendum yesterday.
Confirming that communications were continuing "on what can be done to bring about a ceasefire", the Taoiseach refused to put any time limit on a public statement from Mr Major in response to the terms set out by the SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, who is acting as an intermediary for the Sinn Fein leader.
Asked if the Government supported the Hume/Adams demands, Mr Bruton stated that he did not want to get into detail about the discussions the Government was having with the British government, or Mr Hume or anybody else. "We are all working intensively to bring about a ceasefire but also to ensure that the talks go forward. I think our efforts are going well at the present time", he continued.
The Tanaiste, Mr Spring, said it was very obvious that the "atmosphere" was there at the present time. They were all working together to bridge the differences that existed. It was "an important time", with the prospect of having a cessation of violence and all the parties together in an atmosphere of peace.
Mr Spring stressed that "we do need some space to bring this to a conclusion". He also refused to put a timing on their negotiations for a ceasefire.
There are now clear expectations in Government circles that Mr Major will issue a public statement in the near future that could lead to a renewed IRA ceasefire. Though there are still gaps between the two governments on the contents of that statement senior sources indicated at the weekend that Mr Major may be justified in saying something that may not go the whole way with the views of Mr Hume and Mr Gerry Adams.
In the wake of Sinn Fein's special conference in Athboy, Co Meath, on Saturday, one reliable source indicated to The Irish Times that events could move very quickly in the coming week. This informed source suggested that a ceasefire could follow a satisfactory statement from Mr Major within seven days.
The Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, said last night that if the republican movement was now prepared to call an irrevocable ceasefire, it was entitled to certainty about Sinn Fein's immediate participation in talks as a right, not as a privilege to be held back. It was entitled to an assurance that it would not be asked to go beyond the Mitchell Report on decommissioning.
It was for the British government to create that clarity. "The Taoiseach must demand, in public if necessary, the same clarity of intent from the British government as we are all demanding of republicans", he said.
Frank Millar, London Editor, writes:
Senior Conservative sources have echoed the belief of the UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, that Mr Major is set to reject republican conditions for a second IRA ceasefire.
Usually reliable sources told The Irish Times that Mr Major would reject demands for Sinn Fein's automatic entry into multiparty talks following the reinstatement of the ceasefire, and the suggestion that those talks should operate within a fixed timescale.
