Northern Ireland talks resume
The Northern Irish assembly at Stormont has been suspended since 2002
Also In The News
|
Paul Hunter, the snooker player dubbed the 'David Beckham of the baize', has died aged 27 following an 18-month battle with cancer. |  |
Wednesday, 11, Oct 2006 08:08
Talks aimed at restoring devolution in Northern Ireland began in Scotland today.
Northern Ireland's politicians have until a deadline of November 24th to overcome their disagreements and reach a deal to create a power-sharing executive.
The Belfast-based Northern Irish assembly was suspended in 2002 and direct rule returned to London following allegations of a republican spy ring at Stormont.
British prime minister Tony Blair hosted the opening of the three day talks in St Andrews along with his Irish counterpart, Bertie Ahern.
"We know the issues we have to resolve in terms of power-sharing, in terms of policing," the Press Association news agency reported Mr Blair as saying.
"The question is whether there is the will to make sure we resolve any outstanding issues and get agreement and give people in Northern Ireland the future they want."
Optimism has been growing over the chances of a devolution deal being secured after the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC), which is monitoring the ceasefire in Northern Ireland, reported last week that the Irish Republican Army (IRA) had made substantial progress in dismantling its terrorist structures.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has previously insisted that it will not enter government with nationalist group Sinn Fein until the party's paramilitary wing had renounced all violence.
Addressing supporters in Belfast last night, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams stressed that it was no longer a question of whether Ian Paisley's DUP would agree to a power-sharing deal, but when.
While expressing uncertainty about whether a deal would be reached this week, Mr Adams said: "I do know that the question is no longer about whether the DUP will do a deal, the question is about when the DUP will do a deal."
However, it appears that differences may still arise between the two sides over the course of the next few days, with DUP leader Mr Paisley accusing Britain's Northern Ireland minister Peter Hain of "selling deceit" earlier this week, claiming that he has interpreted the IMC's report on the IRA's activities in an overly-positive manner.
The DUP also wants Sinn Fein to make a firm commitment to recognise Northern Ireland's police service.
The stakes are high for this week's talks, with the British government vowing to close Stormont down and cease paying its politicians if the two sides fail to reach a power-sharing deal.
"Anyone who bases their political strategy on the idea that November 24th is a line in the sand that will simply wash away will have to think again," warned Mr Hain writing in the Belfast Telegraph.
"We will not go on in an endless round of slow motion replays," the Northern Ireland secretary added.