NI talks move in the 'right direction'

Following a meeting this morning with Prime Minister Tony Blair, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party Ian Paisley has said that the current talks are "moving in the right direction."

The Reverend Ian Paisley met Tony Blair as the two main political parties continue to thrash out their responses to the joint British-Irish government proposals to restore devolved local government in Northern Ireland.

As part of the round of talks Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams met with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in Dublin today. Following this meeting Mr Adams said that he feared that the process of a deal was being delayed. He said: "A deal could be done today if there was [the] political will".

Yesterday Mr Adams met Tony Blair and PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde - an unprecedented meeting where Mr Adams said he wanted to discuss the "demilitarisation of the republican heartlands."

Today the Reverend Paisley said that while talks were moving in the right direction there were still problems regarding the issue of IRA decommissioning.

The DUP continues to refuse to meet in face-to-face talks with Sinn Féin and the current round of talks are being conducted at arms length via government intermediaries up to and including the Prime Minister and Taoiseach.

Yesterday, Mr Adams described the talks with the Chief Constable as "useful", but it was not revealed exactly what was discussed in detail.

The DUP have tabled a series of questions following examination of the latest proposals drawn up by the two governments, which were presented to the DUP and Sinn Féin last week.

The DUP are understood to be seeking both photographic evidence of decommissioning and a timeframe in which this process is to be carried out.

Sinn Féin remain adamant that any proposals must be based on the already agreed principles laid out in the Good Friday Agreement reached in 1998.

(SP)