The main political parties in the North have begun their formal review of the Good Friday Agreement at Stormont.
The talks are being co-chaired by the Northern Secretary, Paul Murphy, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen.
Mr Cowen said the Good Friday Agreement would not collapse and that the talks had made a good start.
Discussions will be held on two days each week and are expected to continue at least until Easter.
Today was the first time leaders of the main republican and loyalist parties met since the Assembly elections last November.
The discussions centre on finding a way to get a power-sharing government up and running again.
