Irish and British Ministers meet

Press, 14 September 1988, Page 13

Irish and British Ministers meet

NZPA-Reuter Dublin British and Irish Ministers will hold security talks in Dublin today after a day of bomb attacks by the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland. The I.R.A. set off two bombs at the home of Northern Ireland’s top civil servant, Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, and warned of more attacks on civilian officials as its 20-year guerrilla campaign widens. Sir Kenneth and his family escaped unhurt from the blasts which damaged his home. Two other bombs failed to explode. A car bomb exploded in Belfast city centre injuring eight people, including two policemen. The injured were hit by flying glass as they tried

to escape from the area after a telephoned bomb warning. Irish sources said the Dublin meeting would focus on recent clashes between guerrillas and security forces in Northern Ireland and hopes for talks between political leaders of the minority Catholic community and pro-British Protestants. Dublin called the talks after three I.R.A. guerrillas were shot dead by British troops on a country road in Northern Ireland. Britain said the three men were about to ambush an Army van. The I.R.A. described the attack as a revenge killing for the death of eight soldiers in a guerrilla ambush two weeks ago. The British Secretary for Northern Ireland, Tom King, was expected

to defend the operation in his meeting with Irish Foreign Minister, Brian Lenihan. The current inquest into the shooting of three other I.R.A. guerrillas by British commandos in Gibraltar last March was also expected to be discussed. Irish sources said Mr Lenihan and Irish Prime Minister, Charles Haughey, who will also have a brief meeting with Mr King, would press their wish for talks between moderate Catholic and Protestant leaders. ■ A leading moderate Catholic politician, John Hume, head of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, broke off talks with the I.R.A.’s political wing, Sinn Fein, last week after the latest wave of guerrilla attacks.