During bilateral talks on 30 September 1996, David Trimble MP and other representatives expressed significant concerns to the Secretary of State regarding the decommissioning process and the involvement of Sinn Féin. Trimble criticized the lack of assurance that any concrete actions would be taken and accused the Secretary of State of creating a mechanism to buy decommissioning. The Secretary of State emphasized the need for a widely acceptable process and dismissed the idea of physical decommissioning without Sinn Féin's cooperation. Ken Maginnis MP questioned the likelihood of Sinn Féin's compliance and the purpose of the decommissioning process if they did not participate. The Secretary of State acknowledged the challenges but insisted on the importance of all parties being represented on proper terms. Reg Empey and Trimble highlighted the difficulties in achieving consensus and the perceived unfairness of relying on the SDLP and Irish approval.
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