The Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister will hold talks on the Northern peace process when they meet at the European Union summit at Gothenburg in Sweden later this week. It is thought that the two leaders will discuss the implications of the results of the Westminster elections on the future of the Good Friday Agreement.
The meeting, which will take place on the margins of the summit, was arranged during a telephone call between Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair today. The two leaders are also likely to examine the consequences of the rejection of the Nice Treaty in Thursday's referendum.
The Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, has said that he will not resign his position following his party's loss of three seats, which left them with six MPs compared to the DUP's five. He also said that he was not afraid of a leadership challenge.
Despite the bruising inflicted on himself and his party in the Westminster election, the First Minister was attempting to play down speculation that he might have to resign. In a BBC interview Mr Trimble preferred to stress their achievement in remaining the largest party in the North and increasing their vote.
Mr Trimble has already indicated that he will resign as First Minister on 1 July if there is not a start to IRA decommissioning. However, that will not be enough to satisfy some party members such as the new South Antrim MP David Burnside, who says that it must be completed by that date.
The Annual General Meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council is due to be held in a fortnight's time and it remains to be seen whether Mr Trimble will be challenged by an anti-Agreement candidate. His leadership could be undermined by the results of the local elections tomorrow and Tuesday in which the DUP and Sinn Féin are expected to make further gains.
