PMs to finalise peace plan

Blair and Ahern: Final effort on political package

The British and Irish prime ministers are meeting to discuss their package of proposals aimed at breaking the deadlock in Northern Ireland's political process.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern flew to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency in County Durham on Friday to discuss the rescue plan.

The two premiers had hoped to present their package on decommissioning, demilitarisation, policing and the stability of the political institutions to the parties on Friday.

But after speaking by telephone on Thursday evening, they agreed to take more time to review the situation.

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The parties are not expected to be presented with the package until next week.

The decision came after the Sinn Fein leadership and two hardline Ulster Unionist MPs expressed dissatisfaction with what they expected to see in the political package.

The Ulster Unionists are concerned the decommissioning proposals will fall short of their expectations and have expressed opposition to the changes to policing.

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.

However, on Thursday, Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson and South Antrim MP David Burnside made it clear that they thought the current negotiations had only served to feed nationalists' and republicans' "insatiable demands".

Jeffrey Donaldson: Call for a new series of negotiations

In a statement withdrawing their support from the current process, they said it was a "danger to the Union".

The MPs called on the British Government to begin a new series of negotiations without Irish Government input following the IRA's refusal to disarm.

Mr Donaldson also said they had issued their statement because they believed negotiations on the package were "continuing in secret behind closed doors with Sinn Fein/IRA".

Sinn Fein has demanded that the governments put in writing proposed amendments to the Northern Ireland Police Act.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern met Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and Mid-Ulster MP Martin McGuinness for three hours of talks in Dublin on Thursday evening.

They denied the meeting was a last minute attempt to squeeze more concessions on the package.

Gerry Adams: "Sinn Fein wants decommissioning"

Mr Adams described the meeting, which he said included discussions on decommissioning as "detailed and satisfactory".

He added: "We don't run away from the issue of the decommissioning of weapons. We want to see it. We are working towards it," he said.

"The IRA for their part have said they are prepared to put weapons beyond use.

"What the two governments, and particularly the British Government, can to do bring this about, is it to honour their responsibilities and obligations by making this process work."