'Positive' Downing Street talks end without election date

Prime Minister, Tony Blair and Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern have met in London today ahead of this week's election date deadline.

UUP leader, David Trimble and Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams joined the two leaders at Downing Street to push towards an agreement which will enable elections to take place.

While no deal was reached during today's discussions, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman confirmed that the "building blocks were clearly there for a possible deal which would allow us to go into an election in a positive frame of mind. However, the work had not yet been completed".

Questioned as to whether an agreement would have to be reached this week were a mid-November election to be a distinct possibility, the PMOS noted that deadlines in Northern Ireland tended to be more flexible in their interpretation than perhaps they were elsewhere.

Following the talks, Mr Trimble and Mr Adams remained coy on the points under discussion. The UUP leader described the talks as "useful" while Mr Adams described proceedings as "positive".

The US President's special adviser Richard Haass, Secretary of State Paul Murphy and Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen were also present at today's meeting.

(MB)