Party moves ahead of peace plan

SDLP delegation met Irish parties in Dublin for talks

Northern Ireland's political parties have been restating their positions ahead of the expected announcement of proposals aimed at breaking the political impasse.

The new political package prepared by the British and Irish Governments is due to be presented to the pro-Agreement parties on Friday.

The current crisis was brought to a head by the resignation of Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble as Northern Ireland first minister on 1 July because the IRA had not begun to disarm.

The political process has been deadlocked over the issues of arms, policing, demilitarisation and the stability of the political institutions.

Republicans and unionists have continued to insist that unless specific demands on policing and weapons are met the deal will not work.

Parades issue included

On Wednesday evening it also emerged that the British and Irish Governments have been considering reviewing the parades legislation and the role of the Parades Commission.

The BBC learned that a proposal on the future of the commission, which makes rulings on contentious parades, would be part of the package.

The Orange Order did not welcome the news.

Grand master of the Protestant organisation Robert Saulters said: "We have made it quite clear that the Orange Order will not be involved in any of the political decisions at the moment."

Sir Reg Empey: "Arms issue is still main sticking point for the UUP"

The parades issue was raised by the Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble at the Weston Park talks.

While the Ulster Unionists would welcome a review of the parades legislation, they said it was not the major issue for them.

Ulster Unionist Economy Minister Sir Reg Empey said the weapons issue was still the primary point for his party.

"It is a simple exercise. Either we are going to have a move from the paramilitary organisations, or we're not.

"And if it doesn't contain that, it doesn't matter what it contains," he said.

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Meanwhile, on Wednesday afternoon Sinn Fein said the government must prove that it is going to implement the Patten Report if the party is to sign up to its proposals for a new beginning to policing.

Assembly member Gerry Kelly emphasised this while speaking to reporters as he led a delegation of north Belfast residents to meet the Irish Government.

Gerry Kelly: "The government must bring Police Act back to Patten"

"If this package brings policing back to the requirements of Patten and of a new policing service, as set out in the Good Friday Agreement, Sinn Fein will be glad to see it," he said.

Sinn Fein wants to see in the package, a text which would be used to amend the Northern Ireland Police Act, which was passed last year, to bring it in line with the recommendations of the Patten Commission on policing.

SDLP Finance Minister Mark Durkan, meanwhile, appealed to all parties to consider the governments' proposals in full before making any judgement.

He said all the parties must look at the package on offer in its entirety before making a decision on the proposals.

Mark Durkan: "Judge package as a whole"

"We must judge it on the aggregate of what it does for the Agreement, on its consistency with the Agreement and on what the alternative of not accepting the package does for the Good Friday Agreement," he said.

He was speaking after an SDLP delegation held talks with the Irish Republic's four main parties - Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Progressive Democrats and Labour - in Dublin on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, the anti-Agreement DUP said it will be seek a meeting with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission if the government refuses to allow it access to the package of proposals.

The party's deputy leader Peter Robinson said there was a risk the details of the package would never be publicly known if they were not endorsed by the pro-Agreement parties.

Following Mr Trimble's resignation, there were six weeks available to the parties to find a resolution by 12 August.

At the end of that period, if there has been no deal, the British Government will have to either suspend the assembly - even if only for a short period to give more room for manoeuvre - or call an assembly election.