The leader of the Ulster Democratic Party, Gary McMichael, has said that he hopes talks will be arranged shortly to try to end the paramilitary feud which has claimed the lives of three Belfast men in the past fortnight. Mr McMichael was speaking after the postponement of today's meeting between the political parties linked to the main Loyalist paramilitary organisations. It had been intended that members of the Progressive Unionist Party and the Ulster Democratic Party would meet in a first step towards ending the feud between the UVF and the UDA.
Mr McMichael said that he hoped the Progressive Unionist Party would be able to come back to them to allow the process of talks to start. He said they were still willing to meet them today and that everyone on the Shankill Road wanted to see a resolution of the UDA/UVF feud. He also condemned the recent violence in the area.
One Loyalist source, close to the PUP, claimed the meeting had been postponed because of continuing threats to people in the Shankill.
