LEADERS in Britain, the Irish Republic, and the United States joined yesterday to ``freeze out'' the IRA with repeated warnings that top level contacts were out unless a ceasefire was reinstated.

Irish Prime Minister John Bruton, in a scathing criticism of the IRA at his party conference, told them the time had come to turn their thoughts from threats to peaceful persuasion.

Northern Ireland Minister Michael Ancram insisted that British Ministers would not meet Sinn Fein representatives in present circumstances. ``No amount of bombs can bring the IRA and Sinn Fein to the negotiating table. They can only bomb themselves away from it,'' he said. The US administration announced that neither President Clinton nor any member of the government would see Gerry Adams when he visits America for the New York St Patrick's Day parade and that he would be banned from entering government buildings.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble said he was delighted both with that announcement and also by the stand taken by Mr Bruton whom he will meet in Dublin today.

Mr Ancram said on BBC1's Breakfast with Frost programme: ``In order to be part of that democratic process you have to sign up for the principles of democracy.

``No amount of bombs is ever going to bomb the IRA or Sinn Fein's way to the negotiating table. They can only bomb their way away from that table.

``The first thing that they have to do is make sure unequivocally that the ceasefire of 1994 is restored.''

In a further sign of Sinn Fein's growing isolation, the US administration confirmed Mr Trimble would be attending next week's St Patrick's Day celebrations at the White House while Gerry Adams, also in America, had not been invited.

Mr Bruton, addressing more than 2000 delegates at his party's Ard Fheis (national conference) in Dublin, said: ``I ask the IRA to do more than just stop the violence.

``I ask the entire republican movement to stop thinking in terms of threats and start thinking in terms of peaceful persuasion.''

He said he had ``fought for'' and secured June 10 as the fixed date for all-party talks, and he wanted to see Sinn Fein in its place at the negotiating table.

But he warned: ``There can be no effective talks, no effective negotiations, unless everybody is willing to negotiate by the same rules.

``There cannot be a situation where peaceful parties feel under threat from others, who insist on their right to approve or support violence, if things at the negotiating table do not go their way.''

Mr Trimble, who meets Mr Bruton today in Dublin, said he was ``absolutely delighted'' by the Irish Prime Minister's comments. He now wanted to discuss where the talks process was heading in the long term.

Mr Trimble is also due to meet Ulster Secretary Sir Patrick Mayhew today at Stormont as the current round of talks between the governments and the parties continues.

Mr Ancram said that they had still to reach an agreement on what form the elections, which will precede the all-party talks, would take.

Mr Bruton said the meeting between his government and the Ulster Unionist Party in Dublin was ``historic'', and vowed to take every step to ensure the republic was not a safe haven for the IRA.

Mr Trimble is expected to be accompanied to the meeting by his deputy leader John Taylor and the Rev Martin Smyth. The government team will consist of the Mr Bruton, Deputy Prime Minister Dick Spring, and Social Welfare Minister Proinsias De Rossa.

Mr Bruton said he was concerned about a claim by Mr Trimble that the Republic was used by the IRA during its 17-month ceasefire to regroup and train its members and launch actions in Britain.

``The Garda are doing everything they can, even during the ceasefire, to stop this sort of thing happening,'' he said.

``But any suggestion that our territory could be used for terrorist actions of any kind anywhere in the world is entirely unacceptable and entirely inconsistent with the democratic integrity of this State.''

In Washington, Secretary of State Warren Christopher said Gerry Adams ``will not be coming to the White House''.

``He will not be meeting with high-level officials at the White House.''

q An IRA gang burst into a west Belfast house yesterday, dragged a man from his bed, and battered him around the legs with hammers.

The 25-year-old man was admitted to hospital with a shattered ankle and other leg injuries. His mother required treatment for shock.