Positive signs from NI peace summit
Peace talks at No 10 have failed to reach agreement on a date for restoring devolution in Northern Ireland but the sentiment coming out of the meeting suggested discussions were productive and “positive”
Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern met Monday to discuss the possibility of elections at the Northern Ireland Assembly.
They were joined by Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, Mid Ulster MP Martin McGuinness and former Belfast Lord Mayor Alex Maskey.
Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble, Michael McGimpsey and Dermot Nesbitt, two former Stormont representatives, Lady Sylvia Hermon, the North Down MP, and James Cooper, the UUP chairman, also attended.
Richard Haass, US envoy to Northern Ireland, cancelled his engagements in Belfast to take part in the talks.
Devolution was suspended last October after it was alleged the IRA infiltrated Stormont with an intelligence gathering unit.
Renewed democratic efforts were frustrated early in the year after assembly elections were postponed in May when the Government questioned the IRA’s assurances that it would put its weapons beyond verifiable use.
Sinn Fein Leader, Gerry Adams, going into the meeting said: ‘We said coming in that this is not a make or break summit but that it was part of the continuing and very intense discussions that we have been having back home.”
Coming out he described the meetings as a “series of positive engagements.”
“Those discussions will continue,” he said. “I am confident we will get to where we want to be.”
Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble said “useful exchanges” had taken place.
Mr Trimble said: “There has been useful work done. The work will continue and I hope there will eventually be a successful outcome to this, but that’s not just here yet.
“We need to see that there is going to be de-commissioning of weapons, an end of paramilitary activity, people being fully committed to working with the institutions in the spirit of the (Good Friday) Agreement and we haven’t quite got all of that yet.”
The PM ahead of the talks said the atmosphere of the meeting was “conducive to finding a way forward.”
“The omens are very, very good if we can find the right way of having an election in a positive and constructive atmosphere,’ Mr Blair said.
A fresh poll could be held before Christmas. The Government must decide by Thursday whether to call Assembly elections on 13 November.
