By Brendan Anderson

The special Sinn Fein Ard Fheis (convention) aimed at achieving the party’s backing for the North’s policing and justice system took a giant step closer Tuesday.

Senior party members Gerry Adams and Gerry Kelly are due to discuss the party’s difficulties with policing at a meeting with Chief Constable Huge Orde at Stormont on Wednes-day, December 13.

Adams is already on record as saying Sinn Fein intended to intensify contacts with the British government and was prepared to meet with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable “on issues which fall within his remit.”

Revealing news of the meeting, Adams said the issues the party intended to raise with Orde Wednesday morning include the role in the North of the British intelligence agency, MI5, political policing, collusion, inquiries, plastic bullets and the closure of barracks.

“On November 20 in an article in An Phoblacht, I set out Sinn Fein’s position in respect of policing and those matters which remain to be resolved. Sinn Fein is for policing and a fair and effective legal

and judicial system which is transparent and accountable. We intend to achieve a civic policing system which is accountable to citizens and representative of the community as a whole,” Adams said.

“In recent weeks, I have met with scores of families of victims of state violence. They are demanding and have the right to truth. These are highly important issues.

“Very few Nationalists or Republicans trust the agencies of the Northern state. The PSNI will have to do a lot to earn the confidence of most Nationalists. Among the issues that need resolved are a definitive date for the transfer of power (of policing and justice to the Assembly Executive), the departmental model into which power will be transferred and the role of MI5.”

The Sinn Fein leader said he was prepared to call a meeting of the party’s Ard Chomhairle (executive council) immediately, if agreement had been reached on the issues and for the purpose of convening a special Ard Fheis.

He said, however, he would not ask the party executive to convene a special convention “unless I have the basis to do so.”

“In order to advance these matters, we have intensified our contact with the British government. Some progress has been made but there is still work to be concluded.

“I also said we are prepared to meet with the PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde on issues which fall within his remit and that is what we are doing tomorrow morning,” Adams said.