Ahern plays down NI breakthrough

Mr Ahern met Mr Blair on Wednesday

The Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern has played down hopes of an immediate breakthrough in the deadlocked Northern Ireland peace process.

Speaking in London, Mr Ahern said little could be achieved without movement from Northern Ireland's political parties.

I don't really believe we are in an imminent breakthrough situation

Bertie Ahern

The peace process has stalled in recent months over the thorny issues of policing, IRA disarmament and demilitarisation.

Mr Ahern and Mr Blair held talks on Wednesday evening in an attempt to break the deadlock.

The Irish prime minister appeared to reject suggestions from Sinn Fein that the British government needed to soften its stance on some of the issues.

Speaking to journalists, he said: "I do not share the view that it is just a matter of saying that the British government have to move on these issues.

"I think there is more to it than that. The parties are aware of what is on offer."

He added: "I don't really believe we are in an imminent breakthrough situation."

Mr Ahern indicated that Sinn Fein would have to move on the issue of decommissioning.

"To make progress on decommissioning, you need certain people to indicate their move, and to move on demilitarisation, you need indications from certain people."

There is growing pressure within the Ulster Unionist Party to place further sanctions on Sinn Fein's involvement in the power-sharing government if the IRA does not decommission its weapons.

The Downing Street talks were expected to focus on a proposal to hold round-table talks with the parties and the two governments in Belfast next week as part of an effort to break the impasse.

Deadlock

Earlier, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams warned Mr Blair against the "folly" of suspending political institutions over the deadlocked peace process.

While the prospect of placing the process in storage until after the elections continues to grow, he stressed a deal to avert the potential crisis can still be brokered.

Mr Adams believes the deadlock can be broken

"I know people say it isn't possible, that we're going into an election, but we all know if the British government has the will to sort this out it will be sorted out."

Mr Adams insisted that if the policing issue was resolved to the satisfaction of nationalists and republicans it would provide the key to unlocking the other interlocking strands.

There have been more than 4,000 inquiries in response to a recruitment campaign for the new Police Service for Northern Ireland in the past week.

But Mr Adams said he was "one million per cent certain" that nationalists and republicans would not join the force in its current form.

Concessions

Both Sinn Fein and the nationalist SDLP are holding out for further concessions before endorsing the service and taking their seats on the policing board.

A police service that represents both communities in Northern Ireland is seen as crucial to the success of the peace process.

However, a senior SDLP source has suggested that the party is still a long way off endorsing the new policing arrangements.

"A week ago I would have said we would, but now I really am uncertain because things are much more fluid," he said.

There must be certainty that decommissioning and demilitarisation will also be sorted out, he added.

"One of the nightmare scenarios for us is to be on the policing board and then the whole thing collapses. We would be hostages."