Premiers to put proposals to NI parties

Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern could put proposals for achieving devolution to Northern Ireland politicians tomorrow if they fail to reach an agreement on power-sharing and policing.

A spokesman for the British Prime Minister today said that it was obvious that both the DUP and Sinn Fein both hoped to resolve the issues standing in their way, however they needed to be able to trust each other if an agreement is to be struck.

The DUP are still unconvinced that the IRA is fully committed to putting terrorism and criminality behind them for good, despite last weeks IMC report stating that it no longer has the capacity to carry out such acts.

The Reverend Ian Paisley is also calling on Sinn Fein to change their policy on policing and to begin endorsing the PSNI, before they will consider going into an all-party power-sharing executive with them.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein has insisted that the DUP need to show that it is willing to become involved in a power-sharing government with them before they commit to an agreement.

Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern reiterated that both the Irish and British governments would put a best guess document to all the parties tomorrow if there was no agreement made during today's talks at St Andrews.

Mr Ahern added that if there is still a willingness on both sides to come to an agreement, that he believes that a deal can be struck by the November 24 deadline.

(EF)