The Government has said that it is prepared to help a process aimed at finding the remains of people killed by the IRA. This follows recent indications from Sinn Féin that a genuine effort is being made to find the graves.
The Taoiseach is due at Hillsborough Castle just after seven o'clock this evening for a round of talks involving Tony Blair and the North's main parties. The Ulster Unionists and Sinn Féin have also been meeting at Stormont. They are likely to move to Hillsborough later this evening.
South Africa's President, Nelson Mandela, telephoned the North's First Minister, David Trimble, and his deputy, Seamus Mallon this afternoon. A spokesman for Mr. Mallon said that the two men had a four-minute conversation; he said that the Deputy First Minister had been encouraged by the gesture, which was very much appreciated.
Delegations from the Ulster Unionist Party and Sinn Féin resumed a meeting after breaking for lunch. The parties started with separate meetings this morning to discuss their strategy. The parties gathered at Stormont for a week that will make or break the Good Friday agreement as the first anniversary approaches.
Much attention will be focused on the First Minister David Trimble, whose Ulster Unionist party has so far insisted Sinn Fein will not be able to take its two seats in an Executive without prior IRA decommissioning. Three of the pro-agreement parties, including Alliance, launched a poster campaign this morning calling on people to make it work. They later joined other pro-agreement groups for a brief discussion.
Sinn Féin has said that the Executive should be set up now, without any preconditions on decommissioning. With the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister due to arrive around teatime, the Northern Secretary plans to call an Assembly meeting on Wednesday or Thursday to trigger the establishment of a Cabinet.
The DUP say that they will not be sitting down with Sinn Féin in any Executive. Party leader Ian Paisley accused David Trimble of attempting to fudge the decommissioning issue.
