Proximity-style talks involving the two governments and pro-agreement parties are to start on Monday. The talks are to take place in a country house hotel near Birmingham. The Minister for Foreign Affairs accepted that the outlook for the talks is not optimistic. However, Brian Cowen told journalists he believed the parties could still save the process.
He was speaking at Iveagh House in Dublin where he and the Northern Secretary, Dr John Reid, met to consider the strategy to be adopted by the Irish and British governments in the negotiations. The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, warned that the negotiations had to succeed.
Downing Street said earlier today that the talks on Monday would be "short, but intensive". The negotiations, which will be attended by the Taoiseach and Tony Blair, are aimed at breaking the latest deadlock in the peace process.
The Taoiseach will have an early morning meeting with Mr Blair at Downing Street next Monday and then the two men will travel together to Weston Park in Shropshire for discussions with the pro-Agreement parties. Those round table and bilateral talks are then expected to continue until at least Tuesday evening. Weston Park hotel and conference centre has been chosen for its secluded location and because it is away from the glare of the media. World leaders used it during the G8 summit in 1998.
A Downing Street spokesman said this morning that time was not the main issue in resolving the deadlock, but whether or not there was a will on the part of the parties to move forward on the key issues that are still blocking full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
Following last night's London talks between the Taoiseach and Tony Blair, both governments say that they are still of the view that it is not too late to break the deadlock over issues like decommissioning, demilitarisation and reform of the RUC.
Meanwhile, Mr Trimble said that the Good Friday Agreement was in peril and could disappear within a few months. He said that Republicans do not act in good faith and that anyone who thinks they do would be sadly mistaken. Mr Trimble said on Morning Ireland that, if the Irish Government put pressure on Republicans, they could be persuaded to move on decommissioning. Mr Trimble said that Republicans had been responsible for 30 murders since their ceasefire began.
