US envoy delays Belfast trip to attend London talks
Richard Haass, the US Government’s special envoy to the North, has delayed a planned trip to Belfast today so he can attend talks between the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams and Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble are also attending the talks in Downing Street.
The meeting is the latest in a series aimed at reviving the stalled Irish peace process and securing Assembly elections before the end of this year.
Speaking as he arrived at Downing Street, Mr Trimble said he was hopeful that progress could be made at today’s talks, but said that depended on the actions of republicans. Mr Trimble reiterated his demands for an end to IRA activity and a commitment to full and verifiable acts of decommissioning.
Mr Adams, meanwhile, said the issues of policing, human rights, equality and demilitarisation had still to be resolved to the satisfaction of republicans. Mr Adams said he believed elections would be called in the very near future.
"The endeavours today are about trying to ensure that those elections return working, durable, sustainable institutions," he added.
