David Trimble is consulting his party this weekend after Senator George Mitchell adjourned his review of the Good Friday Agreement, until Monday. It has emerged today that Mr Trimble won a party vote last night on proceeding with the review, although prominent figures like John Taylor rejected the terms on offer.
Former American Senator, George Mitchell, has adjourned the Stormont talks on the deadlock in the Northern peace process for the weekend. They are to resume on Monday. Mr Mitchell said that they had reached "the final and most critical phase". Sinn Féin President, Gerry Adams, has urged Unionists to use the weekend to consider whether they wanted the political process to succeed. He said that Sinn Féin had demonstrated that it wanted the plan to work.
Seamus Mallon, deputy leader of the SDLP, urged Unionists not to reject the deal. He said what was on offer was not going to be bettered. However, John Taylor of the Ulster Unionist Party said earlier that he could not endorse the compromise solution because nothing new was offered.
The UUP leader, David Trimble, had talks with Senator Mitchell this morning ahead of discussions with his Assembly group. As talks adjourned at Stormont, UUP negotiator, Sir Reg Empey, said his party would take the weekend to reflect on matters. Mr Empey shot down criticism from the DUP saying it was doing nothing to achieve decommissioning.
Sinn Féin challenged the Ulster Unionists to clear up the confusion over their apparent failure to endorse the proposals. Speaking at Castle Buildings this morning, the Sinn Féin negotiator, Gerry Kelly, said that there had been conflicting signals emanating from the UUP, and like everyone else, Sinn Féin wanted to know what was happening.
The other pro-agreement parties were also gathered at Castle Buildings, where Senator George Mitchell had asked them to be available at short notice. It has been reported that David Trimble had talks last night with the Northern Secretary, Peter Mandelson, and with Irish government representatives. Last night, the Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, said that he was deeply disappointed at the latest turn of events.
