An initiative aimed at unionist unity and backed by prominent Ulster Unionists such as Lord Molyneaux and Jeffrey Donaldson has been greeted with suspicion by the DUP so close to the election.
The 'Stormont Principles' initiative launched yesterday brought a swift response from DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson who said that it was designed to be consistent with the Good Friday Agreement.
Mr Robinson said that "fudging the line between opposition to the agreement and support for it is not to the benefit of the unionist community".
He pointed out that the DUP had laid down its own seven principles which formed the cornerstone of its general election campaign, and which he said provided a firm foundation upon which to build unionist unity.
Mr Donaldson, Ulster Unionist MP for Lagan Valley, said unionists of all backgrounds would be foolish to ignore the demand for a common strategy.
He said: "There are many people who see the need for unionist unity and a vision for that unity that goes way beyond the next election.
"It saddens me that unionists devote most of their energy and resources in fighting each other rather than promoting the unionist case, not just here but in Great Britain and elsewhere.
"I have no doubt that in the towns and villages and cities of Northern Ireland, in the unionist community, there is an overwhelming desire for people to see the unionist parties working together for unionist unity.
"I hope political unionism will take time to consider these principles rather than engaging in knee-jerk reaction."
The principles promoted by the Friends of the Union lobby group, set out six guidelines for all unionists.
They demand:
- the total disarmament and disbandment of paramilitary organisations and full support for the police and rule of law
- people of Northern Ireland should have the right to determine their own constitutional and political future free from any pressure from outside the United Kingdom
- the promotion of the union as the best means of achieving a tolerant society, guaranteeing equality of all people regardless of race, religion or political belief
- the right of the people of Northern Ireland to have good government based upon equality and respect for human rights, with greater collective responsibility in the devolved executive and more transparent and accountable arrangements for cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Republic
- the right of all citizens in Northern Ireland to be involved in the governance of Northern Ireland at a full and equal level, with all sides committing themselves to exclusively peaceful and democratic means
- that no party linked to a paramilitary organisation should be involved in a devolved executive or on the Northern Ireland Policing Board, or district policing partnerships.
Yesterday's launch event was attended by two members of the Northern Ireland Unionist party, Cedric Wilson and Norman Boyd.
The Rev Martin Smyth, Ulster Unionist MP for South Belfast, and UUP assembly members Billy Armstrong and Derek Hussey also turned up at the east Belfast hotel where the principles were launched.
Mr Donaldson told them that unionists had lost out on ministerial portfolios after the 1998 assembly elections because there were six unionist parties elected to Stormont.
"We can learn too from our political opponents," he said.
"While the SDLP and Sinn Féin are at political loggerheads there are also areas of common concern in which they work together and in which their combined strategies complement each other.
"Look at what they have been able to achieve and look at what unionism has lost because we do not have a collective strategy to take us into the future.
"A weak and divided unionism is not in a position to negotiate with anyone about our future."
Mr Wilson, Northern Ireland Unionist Party leader, said he was anxious to see how genuine the move for unionist unity was.
"The NIUP will not be falling foul of any electoral ploy," the Strangford assembly member said.
"If there is a genuine attempt here to achieve unionist unity that would be a welcome step because we are going to need to have a common strategy over the coming weeks and months."
Former Ulster Unionist leader, Lord Molyneaux who has advocated that Northern Ireland should have the Welsh model of devolution, said he hoped that the principles would provide "a firm base for a new crusade to sweep away the sectarianism and head counting of the Belfast agreement".
He said: "Such a divisive policy has had its course."
