ULSTER'S POSITION

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 40, 16 August 1921, Page 7

ULSTER'S POSITION

MADE CLEAR BY SIR J. CRAIG HE CANNOT MEET DE VALEBA. LONDON, 14th August. \ Sir JamesCraig (Prime Minister of the Northern Irish Parliament) writes to Mr. Lloyd George: "In order that you may correctly understand the - attitude we propose to adopt, it is necessary to remind you of the sacrifices we recently made in agreeing to self-government and consenting to the establishment of a for Northern Ireland. It was much''against our wish, but in the interests of peace we accepted this as a final settlement of the long outstanding difficulty confronting Great Britain. We are now engaged in ratifying our part of the bargain, while Irishmen outside the northern area have chosen to repudiate the Government of Ireland and press Great Britain for greater powers. To join in such pressure is repugnant to the people of Northern Ireland. In the further interests of peace we decline '■ to interfere with the terms made between Britain and South Ireland. It cannot then be said that Ulster Clocks the way: Onr acceptance of your original invitation "to meet in conference holds good. If our assistance be again desired, we are available; bnt I am bound to acquaint you with the fact that' a meeting is impossible, between Mr. ds>Valera and myself until .he recognises that Northern Ireland will not submit to any authority other than that of the King and Parliament of the United Kingdom, and until he admits the sanctity of the existing powers and privileges of the Parliament and Government of Northern Ireland. Peace is as earnestly desired by my Government as by yours. We have nothing left to give away. We are prepared when you and Mr. de Valera arrive at'a satisfactory settlement to co-operate with the South on equal terms for the future welfare of our common country."