Paul Murphy
Reason for suspension has not gone away
Martin McGuiness
Threats against police board members unjustifiable
The Northern Secretary has said the reasons for the suspension of the North's institutions have not gone away.
Speaking after a meeting of the British-Irish intergovernmental conference in Dublin, Paul Murphy said there was no point in restoring the assembly and executive if they were going to collapse again.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen said the question of setting an election date to stimulate political progress was not what he called a chicken and egg situation.
He said the question was whether the political will existed to satisfy the vast majority of people that paramilitarism had come to an end and would stay ended.
Earlier, The Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, held face-to-face talks with the Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, in Stormont today as efforts continue to deal with the problems in the North's peace process.
Also today in Dublin, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen, met Sinn Fein's vice-president, Martin McGuinness.
McGuiness rejects Durkan calls
Mr McGuinness described as disgraceful and unjustifiable, threats against Catholic members of the district policing partnerships in the North.
He also accused the SDLP of playing politics with the issue and said most right-thinking people would think the attacks were abhorrent.
He was reacting to a call from the SDLP leader, Mark Durkan, for the Provisional IRA to state that it is not involved in the intimidation.
Mr Durkan discussed the matter with the PSNI Chief Constable, Hugh Orde, in Belfast this morning.
He now wants the IRA to make a statement confirming Sinn Féin claims that it was not connected with the threats.
Earlier today, the PSNI detained five people in Strabane, Co Tyrone in connection with their investigation into death threats against policing partnership members.
