What the papers say

Journalist Grania McFadden reviews Tuesday's morning newspapers.

Northern Ireland's peace process owes much to the chaos theory, says the Guardian.

Just as the flap of a butterfly's wing can trigger a tidal wave, so the tiniest move in the peace process can bring down the entire effort.

From 1995, until today, decommissioning has threatened to bring down the entire project of peace.

The paper wonders whether today's talks at Weston Park can break the impasse.

The Irish News believes the talks are not overburdened with high expectations.

Negotiations

And it says without a breakthrough on the arms issue, it is difficult to see how other key questions on policing, demilitarisation and cross-border bodies can be resolved.

The Irish Independent reveals that Bill Clinton is on standby to help in the push for peace.

The former president met with Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern before they opened negotiations, and is only a phonecall away, according to the paper.

The News Letter concentrates on unionist anger over the lack of progress.

It claims the DUP has accused the government of ignoring its mandate by excluding it from discussions.

The paper says the PUP has threatened to walk away from the process, furious at being sidelined.

Weapons

And David Trimble has written to the Ulster Unionist Council, indicating that he is prepared to lead unionists out of Stormont, if Sinn Fein remains in government without decommissioning.

As today's talks get under way, one insider told the Irish Times: "It's getting close to the stage where the main parties must show the colour of their money on the key issues of IRA weapons and policing."

While the future of Northern Ireland once again hangs in the balance, the Irish Independent reveals that the Republic is one of the best places in the world to live.

A major United Nations quality of life report puts Ireland's ranking at 18 out of 162 countries surveyed, with high levels of income, health care, life expectancy and education.

The survey also showed that Ireland's economic performance outstripped almost every other country. Norway is ranked as the best place to live, with Australia in second place.

It is make up your mind time for Tories, as they decide who to back as their new leader.

Today's Guardian raises questions over Michael Portillo's judgment, claiming that he failed to declare earnings of more than £20,000.

The paper says Mr Portillo accepted the money in return for giving private briefings and dinner speeches while he was a member of John Major's cabinet.

It claims the money was channelled to his then local constituency association in Enfield, north London.

Mr Portillo denies any wrongdoing. He pops up again in the Independent, which reports his pledge to review the Section 28 ban on the promotion of homosexuality if he is elected leader.

Most papers are dismayed at news that efforts to prosecute Augusto Pinochet for human rights abuses were ended yesterday, after a Chilean court ruled that the 85-year-old general was mentally unfit to stand trial.

Prisoners

The Independent says human rights lawyers and families of political prisoners were outraged at the verdict.

The Mirror believes some crimes are too bad to be forgiven, and that such a tyrant should never be allowed to escape responsibility for his deeds.

The Mirror also reports that the family of a three-year-old girl from County Down are making arrangements for her body to be flown home from Spain, after she drowned in a swimming pool.

Little Peggy Flynn was playing with her triplet brothers when it is believed she was blown into the pool by a freak gust of wind.

The paper says she is the third three-year-old to die in chalet swimming pools while on holiday in Spain in the last 10 days.

On a happier note, all the papers celebrate tennis hero Goran Ivanisevic's triumph in yesterday's Wimbledon final.

The Croatian beat Australian Pat Rafter in what the press bill the greatest final of all time.