26 JULY 1997, Page 26

LETTERS Beware a take-over

Sir: This government's decision to negoti- ate with Sinn Fein/IRA over Northern Ire- land without the precondition of decom- missioning IRA arms is analogous to the American decision in 1973 to permit North Vietnamese troops to remain in South Vietnam after a cease-fire.

The latter decision led inexorably to the eventual take-over of all Vietnam by Hanoi. There is no hope that similar conse- quences will not eventually follow for the United Kingdom and the loyalists from Labour's failure of will.

John Colvin

London SW1