UK: NORTHERN IRELAND: PEACE FORUM ELECTION PREVIEW

(29 May 1996) English/Nat Another stage in Northern Ireland's problematic peace process gets under way Thursday. Voters in the province will take part in a special election which will ultimately determine which politicians will take part in talks on the future of the British-ruled province. But as yet there is no certainty all the parties will even be at the talks - let alone sit down together. In Northern Ireland, he is known simply as "The Big Man". Reverend Ian Paisley's election bandwagon rolls through another of Belfast's Protestant estates. UPSOUND: For God, For Ulster He is a seasoned campaigner and it shows. Paisley is a Unionist. He wants Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom. His Democratic Unionist Party is expected to come near the top of Thursday's poll. The people of Northern Ireland will be asked to vote for a 110-member Peace Forum that will appoint delegates to talk about the future of the province. But there are bad omens those talks may break down. Paisley refuses to sit down and talk with Sinn Fein - the party allied to the IRA. SOUNDBITE: We will not be sitting down with murdering thugs. We will not be sitting down with those who hold on to their murder weapons. We'll not be sitting down with those who hold on to their potential to kill and that's our firm position. And of course the British government has compromised, done U-turns - so has the Dublin government, so have the official Unionists - but our position is loud and clear. No negotiations with anybody who's not a democrat. SUPER CAPTION: Reverend Ian Paisley, Democratic Unionist Party Gerry Adams is a reluctant campaigner. His party, Sinn Fein, is opposed to the peace assembly. Although around 70 Sinn Fein candidates are standing in the election, the party will not take its seat at the Forum. And unless the IRA calls a new ceasefire, Adams will not be allowed to take part in the all-party talks. But he is determined to show up on 10 June, the start date of the talks. SOUNDBITE: The British government called this election. They can't very well preach about the primacy of the ballot box if they refuse to recognise the rights of a section of the elections who will vote for Sinn Fein. John Major said that the elections were an avenue, direct and automatic to all-party talks. So we are fighting the election and we will be presenting ourselves for involvement in those talks, representing those who vote for us and John Major needs to recognise the reality of that situation. SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein President As divided as the politics in Northern Ireland are the views of the public towards Thursday's poll. There are concerns the turn-out could be low. VOXPOP: I've never really thought about it. I'll probably vote just for the sake of voting. VOXPOP: I think it's the most important election we've had yet. And lots of new political parties and lots of chance for change. VOXPOP: We've had plenty of elections before and it hasn't made much of a difference. Can't see how this one will make any difference. The IRA marked the end of its 18-month long ceasefire with what it termed a "spectacular" - the bombing of Canary Wharf in the East End of London. There is intense speculation on both sides of the Irish Sea whether the group will call another halt to its campaign of violence or launch a fresh wave of bombings. There is also another issue that is vexing politicians in London, Dublin and Belfast. And that is the question of decommissioning - when and how paramilitary weapons will be handed over. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...