Ekin supports Moderator's invite to Catholic Primate

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 8th Jun 2004

ALLIANCE Councillor and newly-instated Lord Mayor of Belfast, Tom Ekin, has defended the decision of the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church to invite Archbishop Sean Brady to the church's General Assembly last night.

Councillor Ekin, who attended the ceremony, said:

"I have always worked to bring people from different backgrounds together, and I support others who are doing the same. It is important that leaders in Northern Ireland are seen to be working together, as that sends out a strong signal that we are moving away from the divisiveness of the past.

"As the new Moderator himself said on Monday night, we need to create a shared space in Northern Ireland to deal with the past and to start the process of healing the division between the two main communities. That surely is the Christian message that should be taken away from Rev Dr Newell's service."