PMs struggle for talks breakthrough

Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern: Given parties extra time

Intensive talks aimed at breaking the deadlock over the Northern Ireland political process are continuing - but with no sign of any imminent breakthrough.

Tony Blair has missed his weekly appearance at Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons to chair the talks in an attempt to find progress between Northern Ireland's pro-Agreement parties at Weston Park, Staffordshire.

While Mr Blair's official spokesman told reporters in London that there had been "signs of real engagement", the UUP delegation has left Weston Park to return to Northern Ireland for Thursday's traditional climax to the Protestant marching season.

So far none of the parties has found a way through the impasse over paramilitary arms decommissioning - but a statement from Mr Blair and Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is expected to clarify whether or not they will reconvene on Friday.

Satisfy

SDLP deputy leader Seamus Mallon said some progress had been made at the Staffordshire talks, but there was disappointment and anger that an agreement had not been reached.

Speaking as the SDLP delegation left the talks, Mr Mallon said there had been "advances" on the issues of policing and security normalisation, but not enough to satisfy his party .

He also said there was still a lack of clarity on the decommissioning issue.

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Earlier, before going in to Wednesday's round of talks, Mr Adams said there was a way of resolving this arms issue.

He added: "It's not about renegotiating the Good Friday Agreement, it's about implementing the Good Friday Agreement - that is what is required."

Gerry Adams: "It's about implementation"

He said Sinn Fein had put all its cards on the table.

"If anybody read what I said yesterday - that is the entire Sinn Fein deck of cards."

Mr Trimble, who left the talks for other commitments less than 90 minutes after they had begun, said: "We have come here to see if it is possible in the course of this morning to make a little progress."

But he said that the current nature of the negotiations had left his party with a feeling of disappointment.

Damage

There had been a poor response from Sinn Fein and it had not been able to fulfill its promises, he said.

"They are in denial of the situation and the damage they could do to the process."

David Trimble : Left talks on Wednesday

He added: "I expect that we will be back on Friday, but it looks like it may only be Friday."

On Tuesday morning, a Downing Street spokesman said Prime Minister Tony Blair was prepared to remain at the discussions until a breakthrough could be found.

Mr Blair and Mr Ahern were expected to review the talks with the parties this afternoon before taking a decision on further talks on Friday.