Gerry Adams, MP for West Belfast, and his team shared jokes with journalists as they went. They were at the citadel of British power at the invitation of the Prime Minister, and this was history.

The volley Adams delivered to Tony Blair was rather less fearsome than the last republican missive sent to Downing Street. He told the Prime Minister that it was time for Britain to quit Northern Ireland. Politely and firmly, he was at pains to stress.

He was in the Cabinet Room as he told the Prime Minister this. It overlooks the garden where the IRA mortar bomb exploded in February 1991 while John Major's cabinet discussed the Gulf War. Two more, also fired from a Ford Transit in Horseguards parade, failed to ignite.

Adams was the first Sinn Fein leader to admire the Downing Street decor since Michael Collins in 1921. He even spotted a portrait of David Lloyd George, the IRA hit man's opposite number 76 years ago. It prompted him to tell Blair they had unfinished business.

Out of the view of the cameras it may have been, but Adams and his seven-strong team were each extended a handshake as business commenced. They were even offered tea.

Blair told Adams across the Cabinet table: ``This is a choice of history: violence and despair, or peace and progress.''

Afterwards Adams said: ``We had a good meeting because I think we engaged. We faced up to the difficulties. In many ways the engagement could be described as a moment in history. ``We certainly had the opportunity to put our view that all the hurt and grief and division which has come from British involvement in our affairs has to end. That will obviously mean facing up to the future with some resilience and with the determination to make a new history. I think it's clear that all of us in this process have to take risks for peace.''

The Prime Minister afterwards explained why the meeting took place. He said: ``What I think is worth doing is taking risks, even with people who in prior times have been engaged in activity we have all condemned. It's important to take those risks to give us that chance. I know it's difficult for people when they see Sinn Fein coming into Number 10 Downing Street. But they have signed up to the Mitchell Principles. They are part of this process. They have got to be treated like other parties in the process.''

It was a day long anticipated. Unionists had always been unhappy about Blair's invitation to the IRA's political wing to pop along for tea and a chat. They were apoplectic yesterday, an escape across the Irish Sea the previous night threatening to cast a pall over proceedings.

Adams was never going to criticise a republican prisoner for escaping from the Maze prison. He tried it himself when an internee there, and received an 18-month sentence for his efforts. But he went four words too far in appealing to his own constituency.

He told Irish radio: ``While there are prisoners, there will be prisoners who try to escape. I tried it myself. Liam Averill succeeded where I did not. Good luck to him.''

There was another jolt for Adams at the door of No 10. Rita Restorick, mother of Stephen Restorick, the soldier shot dead by IRA in Bessbrook in February, presented him with a Christmas card. She bore no bitterness, but wanted to know if he was sincere about peace. On the front of her card was a photograph of her boy, aged 24 when he was assassinated.

Inside, Blair dominated for the Government. Adams and Martin McGuinness, MP for Mid-Ulster, were the most vocal of the Sinn Fein contingent. They deny they are members of the IRA's Army Council. They spoke about a British apology for Bloody Sunday, when 14 unarmed Catholics were shot dead at an anti-internment parade in Londonderry in January 1972.

They also discussed progress at the peace talks. Sinn Fein underlined its frustration at the Ulster Unionists, who it believes are trying to frustrate the process.

Sinn Fein's moment to bask in the media spotlight came as they were ushered back on to the street. They were pleased with the meeting, and the Prime Minister remained optimistic of a settlement for Northern Ireland's problems by the May deadline. Adams even answered questions in Gaelic as the delegation stood framed by the Downing Street Christmas tree.

Unionist demonstrators booed the Sinn Fein entourage as they made their way back to the Thatcher gates. And then they clambered into purple people carriers, the transformation to statesmen and women complete.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.