Fresh talks aimed at salvaging the peace process have been adjourned for the night. The discussions, involving the Taoiseach, the British Prime Minister and the North's pro-Agreement parties, will resume in the morning. The talks at the Weston Park Hotel near Birmingham began with a two-hour round-table session.
Mr Ahern and Mr Blair then met the smaller parties before embarking on a series of bilateral discussions with the main groupings. Commenting on the talks, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said that it had been a reasonably useful day. However, he said that there had been no significant breakthrough and the problems this morning were still the problems this evening.
The objective of the two-day talks is to try to find a way for the devolved institutions to continue functioning in the wake of the resignation of the First Minister, David Trimble. Mr Ahern and Mr Blair said that they were optimistic that progress could be made.
Arriving at the Weston Park Hotel, Mr Trimble said that the talks would be a moment of truth during which Republicans would have to decide whether they wished to pursue the path of democracy or violence. Mr Adams said, however, that it was not for his party to deliver on decommissioning. He said that the process had become lost and had to be put back on the right road.
Mr Ahern and Mr Blair had a lengthy meeting at Chequers ahead of the discussions. Mr Blair said that it was time to get the peace process "sorted". The former US President, Bill Clinton, joined Mr Ahern and Mr Blair at Chequers. Mr Clinton is understood to be in England to fulfil a long-standing engagement. A Downing Street spokesman said that he was not expected to play an active role in the talks on the Good Friday Agreement, although he might "make the odd call".
The Ulster Unionist leader called on Republicans to surprise people at the negotiations with a significant gesture on arms. Mr Trimble also criticised the attitude of Mr Adams towards the Agreement, saying that it has cavalier from the outset. He said that Sinn Féin had failed to live up to promises they made 14 months ago and had no integrity.
The UUP leader resigned as First Minister earlier this month over lack of movement on IRA arms. If he is not restored within five weeks, Northern Ireland could face fresh Assembly elections. Mr Adams has already said that there was no possibility of IRA weapons being conceded on Unionist or British government terms.
