‘Significant progress’ being made in negotiations: DUP

The DUP has said that “significant progress has been made in the days and weeks since Leeds Castle and that there is still work required” following a meeting of the party’s Assembly Group at Stormont today.

In a statement on Friday, the party said its team would be meeting again on Saturday working “to provide the Government with a detailed analysis of outstanding issues that need to be resolved”.

The British and Irish Governments put their proposals to the DUP and Sinn Fein, the main unionist and nationalist parties in Northern Ireland, on Wednesday.

Speaking after talks yesterday with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said there were still “issues of concern” and that his party had made the point “that viable proposals for forward movement must be firmly grounded in the Good Friday Agreement”.

"But I do believe if these concerns are adequately addressed, there could be the basis for a comprehensive agreement. Sinn Féin will continue to work to achieve that objective,” the West Belfast MP added.

With the other parties apparently side-lined, UUP MP for South Antrim, David Burnside this week called for the Prime Minister to explain to the House of Commons the content of the proposals that were selectively given to some political parties.

Alliance Party leader David Ford, meanwhile, was critical of the two-party approach adopted by the Governments, and urged that despite "major gaps that still need to be addressed", both the DUP and Sinn Fein should "seize the opportunity presented to them" warning if they failed to do so there was a risk of an indefinite period of direct rule.

It is understood that the proposals include improved independent verification of decommissioning, by cross-denominational clerical representatives, modifications to North-South bodies and the British-Irish council.

(MB/SP)