Trimble: Talks will not bring about breakthrough
The leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, David Trimble, has said he is not very optimistic of achieving a breakthrough in next week's round of meetings between the pro-Good Friday Agreement parties and the two Government's in Birmingham.
The negotiations are due to be chaired by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern and the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair and are scheduled to begin on Monday.
However, Mr Trimble says that he cannot see how Mr Ahern or Mr Blair will be able to break the current deadlock and says that although he will focus all his attention on the coming meetings, he believes that there is little chance of the current impasse being resolved.
The Northern peace process has recently been stalled by the resignation of Mr Trimble as the First Minister of the Northern Assembly and the IRA's failure to decommission its weapons.
Tensions in the North have been further enraged by the beginning of the Orange Order's marching season, which traditionally sparks off violence between Nationalists and Loyalists.
