A NEGOTIATOR in the talks that ended with this week's political deal has said the legacy elements of the Stormont House Agreement are now “in suspension”.
Alex Attwood was speaking after the 'Fresh Start' document failed to include agreement on how Troubles-related killings will be investigated – including the setting up of a dedicated Historical Investigations Unit (HIU).
The SDLP assembly member said while the British government’s insistence on a ‘national security’ veto is an obstacle, other issues relating to legacy investigations also need to be resolved.
The HIU formed part of the Stormont House Agreement and was due to replace the now defunct police Historical Enquiries Team.
Earlier this year the British government was forced to shelve legislation on dealing with the past after nationalists objected to powers to withhold information on national security grounds.
Mr Attwood said that during the 10-week negotiations his party submitted eight separate papers dealing with legacy issues.
“We wanted to get into law all that needed to be got into law, we felt there was progress being made,” he said.
He added that his party wants talks to resume soon.
“We will be looking to close on all the issues, national security being one of the biggest."
The Stormont House Agreement last Christmas also made provision for an Independent Commission on Information Retrieval, an Oral History Archive and the creation of an Implementation and Reconciliation Group.
“All the legacy elements are now in a place of suspension,” Mr Attwood said.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth and justice, Pablo de Greiff, visited the north last week and met with Troubles victims.
Speaking last night, he said none of the stakeholders can assume the position of “neutral arbiters of the Troubles”.
He said that while “everyone must acknowledge the significance of national security concerns, it must also be acknowledged that particularly in the days we are living in, it is easy to use ‘national security’ as a blanket term”.
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness met with British Secretary of State Theresa Villiers yesterday.
“They continue to cover up the action of their agents, army, police and political establishment by using a so-called national security veto,” he said.
"That pretext for blocking disclosure is clearly nonsense as much of the information families are looking for is related to events 30 to 40 years ago."
Relatives for Justice spokesman Mark Thompson said national security issues were not raised during the Stormont House Agreement last year.
“It’s introduction was an indication that the British government do not want to face into the truth of their responsibility and role in the conflict,” he said.
“They are denying families from all sides of the community who lost loved ones the truth and facts about those murders.”
Brian Gormally of the Committee for the Administration of Justice described Mr de Greiff’s remarks as “significant” because of the British government’s “insistence on total control of disclosure of the results of investigations in the name of national security”.
“This is contrary to international standards and unacceptable to victims,” he said.
A spokeswoman for the Northern Ireland Office said the British government “continues to support the provisions of the Stormont House Agreement”.
