Trimble leaves peace talks

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has left the negotiations aimed at breaking the deadlock in the Northern Ireland political process.

However, representatives of all the pro-Agreement parties are still at the discussions.

As he left the talks at Weston Park in Staffordshire, Mr Trimble said there was little prospect of an agreement.

Talks aimed at resolving the stalemate entered what is expected to be their final day on Saturday.

The British and Irish prime ministers have been meeting most of the pro-Agreement parties in an attempt to resolve the current crisis.

The negotiations were suspended late on Friday night with no indication of substantial progress on the key issues, such as policing and the decommissioning of terrorist weapons.

David Trimble: His resignation sparked the current crisis

There was sporadic violence in Belfast overnight with emergency services coming under attack with petrol bombs and several vehicles set on fire.

Tony Blair has warned that if no deal is reached on Saturday there will be no further opportunity for talks before the deadline of 12 August, by which he must decide whether to suspend the Northern Ireland Assembly or call fresh elections.

SDLP deputy leader Seamus Mallon, speaking from inside Weston Park, said progress was being made on all the outstanding issues, except for decommissioning.

Speaking to BBC News 24 on Saturday, before going back into the talks, Mr Trimble said deadlines could be stretched or an election called, but the one question remained: "Is it going to lead to progress? Are the issues going to be easier to resolve afterwards than before?"

Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, has accused Mr Blair of not doing enough to implement the Good Friday Agreement.

Leaving the talks on Friday, he said: "All the positions we have got from the British Government are short of what they have publicly committed themselves to do and certainly aren't enough to deliver upon the Good Friday Agreement."

He said his party had put a set of propositions covering decommissioning, policing, human rights and the criminal justice system to the two governments, and was expecting a response on Saturday.

Round-table

"It's down to a matter of political will," he said.

Sinn Fein negotiator Martin McGuinness said on Saturday there was "a collective responsibility on all political leaders" to ensure the terms of the Good Friday Agreement were fully implemented.

On the issue of decommissioning, Mr McGuinness said the only way to achieve this was for all parties and the two governments to take their direction from the international decommissioning body under the stewardship of General John de Chastelain.

SDLP leader John Hume said: "If the paramilitary organisations were to meet with General De Chastelain, and demonstrate very clearly to him that their weapons were beyond use, that would be a very major step.

"It would break down the barriers and create and develop the atmosphere very powerfully and strongly."

Gerry Adams: Attacked Blair

The current political crisis was brought about by the resignation of David Trimble as the Northern Ireland first minister on 1 July.

He has refused to continue sitting in government with republicans until the IRA begins to decommission its weapons.

Friday's series of meetings were the fourth day of this round of talks, but all-party round-table discussions have not yet happened.

The talks come against a background of serious rioting in Belfast on Thursday night, sparked by nationalist opposition to a Protestant Orange Order parade.

More disruption

The RUC chief constable said police were looking at the possibility that the IRA may have been behind the violence at Ardoyne in north Belfast.

Trouble continued on Friday night with police officers and firefighters coming under attack with petrol bombs and other missiles as they responded to emergency calls in Belfast.

Neither of the smaller loyalist parties, the Progressive Unionist Party and Ulster Democratic Party, which are linked to the UVF and UDA respectively, attended the discussions.