25/08/2004

Parties want process to succeed, says Murphy

Northern Ireland's political parties know what has to be done to end direct rule and restore the devolved institutions, Secretary of State Paul Murphy has said today.

As the date for intensive talks between the two governments and the political parties nears, an upbeat Paul Murphy voiced his belief that the parties genuinely wanted to make the process work.

He said: "There is a definite seriousness on the part of all political parties in Northern Ireland that they want to see an end to direct rule and a restoration of the Assembly.

"No-one wants the process to fail and everybody wants it to succeed, but there are difficult issues which need to be addressed.

"The parties are anxious to see a restoration of devolution and they know that can only happen if they resolve the underlying difficulties that divide them."

Next week, the government will meet the political parties at Parliament Buildings ahead of the intensive talks in the middle of September.

(MB)

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