Govts cancel planned talks with North’s political parties
The Irish and British Governments have cancelled planned talks with the North's political parties this week.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern and Northern Secretary Peter Hain were due to meet the parties at Stormont on Wednesday as part of efforts to restart negotiations on power-sharing.
However, the talks have now been called off, with Mr Ahern and Mr Hain instead expected to attend a meeting in London between the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister.
The move is being interpreted as a further sign of failure in the two governments efforts to restore the power-sharing institutions in the North.
The DUP is steadfastly refusing to even consider sharing power with Sinn Fein, despite the IRA's declaration of an end to its armed struggle and the completion of the decommissioning process.
The hardline unionist party claims the republican movement is still "armed to the teeth" and deeply involved in criminality.
