Assembly 'collapse' warning

It is feared the assembly may be under threat

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has warned that the Northern Ireland Assembly may collapse if the current political deadlock is not broken.

Speaking at a news conference in Belfast on Wednesday, Mr Adams said Sinn Fein had sent its formal response to the governments on their proposals to break the political impasse on Tuesday.

The British and Irish Governments have put forward proposals covering all four outstanding issues - policing, normalisation, the future stability of the institutions and disarmament - in an attempt to implement the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Adams said: "In my view all of these issues can be resolved - all of them - the issues of policing, demilitarisation, issue of arms and the other concerns that people have.

"They can be sorted out through a process of dialogue and commitment to the Good Friday Agreement.

The reality is that the institutions are going to collapse in a very short time

Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein President

"Having said that, I don't think any of us should underestimate the intensity of the crisis that is opening up.

"The reality is that the institutions are going to collapse in a very short time, giving the management of the process to this point."

Sinn Fein said it would not nominate representatives to sit on the policing board at this time - nor would it call on people to support the new police service.

There is still no sign of the main pro-Agreement parties accepting the British and Irish Governments' document.

Efforts are continuing to try to secure the future of the assembly, but as yet neither the Ulster Unionist Party, the nationalist SDLP or Sinn Fein have said they are prepared to accept all of the latest proposals.

The current political crisis was precipitated 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.

On Monday, the head of the decommissioning body, General John de Chastelain, said the IRA had put forward a "satisfactory" plan to put its weapons "beyond use".

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However, Mr Trimble has insisted that there must be "actual decommissioning".

Without more progress on decommissioning by Thursday, it is feared the future of the Northern Ireland Assembly may be under threat.

There are hopes that the IRA may make a further statement to clarify its position.

'Further move needed'

Speaking on Wednesday afternoon, after he led a party delegation to meet the decommissioning body, SDLP Finance Minister Mark Durkan said he hoped this would be the case.

Mr Durkan said: "We recognise that the commission's belief is clear that there is now a process in place in relation to IRA decommissioning.

Mark Durkan: "We hope paramilitaries will make another move"

"We also recognise that people outside the commission do not share that belief.

"So we would like to see further progress that would prove to those people with doubts that there is a process underway."

Earlier on Wednesday, SDLP deputy leader Seamus Mallon said nationalists and republicans still had concerns over policing in the absence of the publication of the implementation plan.

Assembly members must be given 24 hours' notice of any recall to the assembly during the summer recess.

Both London and Dublin have urged all the parties to accept the proposals, aimed at trying to break the political deadlock.

If the plan is rejected, it would plunge the future of the Good Friday Agreement into uncertainty, and would entail either suspending the Northern Ireland Assembly or calling new elections.