Ahern and Blair begin critical peace drive

Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has described his talks with the Prime Minister Tony Blair in Downing Street as the starting point in a drive to resolve the issues of police reform, demilitarisation and decommissioning.

Speaking after talks held in London today, Mr Ahern said: “I sense determination by everybody in acknowledging there are huge difficulties, but that is not new for us.

“The Prime Minister and myself are full of determination to have a real go at this to try and ensure we complete the outstanding issues.”

The talks, which have been described as the most critical of the peace process to date, are aimed at restoring devolution before a possible May election.

The Northern Ireland institutions were suspended last October amidst allegations of IRA intelligence gathering, including the alleged uncovering of an IRA spy ring within the Northern Ireland Office.

Mr Ahern also met with the former First Minister David Trimble today before his meeting with Mr Blair.

However speaking after this meeting Mr Trimble was considerably less optimistic.

He said the two governments had no deal as yet to put to the Northern Ireland parties.

The Upper Bann MP also said the Irish Prime Minister told him the Governments believed the province only had five or six weeks to restore devolution, before other events, most likely Iraq, would push Northern Ireland off the agenda.

“We emphasise the need for there to be genuine acts of completion,” Mr Trimble said.

“In our experience in the last four-and-a-half years there is no credibility, there is no trust to build on, there has to be action.

“There have been times when we jumped first. That’s not going to happen again.”

(AMcE)