Talks on political process resume

The talks are being held at a country house

The British and Irish governments have begun a second day of talks with Northern Ireland parties as efforts continue to find a breakthrough in the stalled political process.

Discussions between Prime Minister Tony Blair, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the main pro-Agreement parties broke up on Monday evening with no sign that a deal to save devolution would be achieved.

The Ulster Unionist Party, SDLP and Sinn Fein are discussing the issues blocking the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement - paramilitary arms decommissioning, policing and demilitarisation.

The two prime ministers hope the talks at Weston House stately home in Staffordshire will find a way for the power-sharing institutions to function following David Trimble's resignation as the province's first minister on 1 July.

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Mr Ahern will not be at the talks for a time on Tuesday morning because he has to attend a court case in Dublin.

Meanwhile, David Ervine of the Progressive Unionist Party, which is linked to the loyalist paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force, said he would be advising his party to withdraw from the current phase of the political process.

David Ervine PUP: Unhappy at talks direction

The PUP executive is to meet on Tuesday, after it and the other smaller pro-Agreement parties were invited to attend the opening session only on Monday evening.

The PUP, Alliance Party, Ulster Democratic Party and Women's Coalition are not expected to be invited back to the talks unless there is the prospect of a deal between the main pro-Agreement parties.

The East Belfast assembly member also said it would be "very unlikely" that his colleague Billy Hutchinson would remain in contact with the arms decommissioning body on behalf of the UVF, if the PUP withdrew from the process.

'Failed leadership'

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams accused the British Government of focusing too narrowly on IRA arms decommissioning, as his party left Weston House on Monday night.

He said the government had failed to show sufficient leadership and that "a change of approach" was needed.

Gerry Adams: Accusing the other parties of ganging up on Sinn Fein

"That requires, especially the British Government, being prepared to show leadership on all of the pertinent issues. I have to say that I am still waiting for evidence of that," he said.

"I think today proved among other things that a change of venue doesn't suffice - there is a need for a change of approach.

"All of the issues that were outstanding this morning are still outstanding now."

The Ulster Unionist delegation, led by party leader David Trimble, and the SDLP delegation led by party leader John Hume and deputy leader Seamus Mallon left Weston House without comment on Monday night.

Monica McWilliams of the Women's Coalition said she believed the issues could only be resolved if all of the parties which signed the 1998 Good Friday Agreement were involved in the current discussions.

'DUP mandate being ignored'

Meanwhile, Ian Paisley, the leader of the anti-Agreement DUP, said while he had "no desire to be at the talks" there could be no solution without his party.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster on Tuesday morning he said the mandate of the DUP was being ignored by the party's exclusion.

The vast majority of unionists did not follow the Ulster Unionist leader's lead any more, he added.

He also accused the British government of allowing itself to be "blackmailed by Sinn Fein" and offering "concession, after concession" to republicans.