What the papers say

Journalist Keith Baker takes a look at Monday's morning newspapers

Several papers look ahead to what's being seen as an important week for the peace process.

The News Letter throws the spotlight on the visit on Thursday by Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern.

The front page carries the headline - "It's your last chance, Trimble tells PM".

The Mirror echoes the thought with the words - "Act now, Blair".

Both papers give the Ulster Unionist leader's views on the violent events over the past weekend.

'Crunch'

Mr Trimble says the situation has been deteriorating sharply - there's been a serious increase in violence, orchestrated primarily by the republican movement, he believes - but no effective action by the government in response.

As a result, unionist support for the present arrangements, he says, is rapidly vanishing.

However, in its Morning View column, the News Letter says that when it comes to the crunch, neither of the two prime ministers is likely to offer whole-hearted support for a unionist bid to have Sinn Fein excluded from the executive.

It says Bertie Ahern will continue to ride two horses - maintaining there's no room for Sinn Fein in the government of the Republic, while supporting their right to govern in another part of the island.

As for Tony Blair, the paper says that for all his strong words on international terrorism, it's clear that he doesn't regard the IRA as a threat to national security, regardless of what they've been up to in the steamy jungles of Colombia or closer to home.

'Street tensions'

The Irish Times notes that Mr Ahern is meeting Gerry Adams in Dublin on Monday to explore what can be done to calm political and street tensions.

It says he's likely to impress on the Sinn Fein leader that any further undermining of David Trimble's leadership could ultimately weaken the Agreement.

The Irish News comments on the installation of Alex Maskey as Belfast's lord mayor.

It says there were strong themes of peace and reconciliation during the event.

All the main churches were represented, together with a minister from the Northern Ireland Office, a senior member of the judiciary and business and community leaders from both traditions.

It's unfortunate, it says, that no unionist politicians felt able to attend.

Looking ahead to other events on the horizon, the Irish News claims that an announcement of a decision on this year's Drumcree march is expected to be delayed.

Security

The decision has already been taken and it was to have been announced on Monday, the paper says, but according to what it describes as well-placed sources it won't be made public until several other parades have taken place on Monday night.

Meanwhile, the Express says security around the Queen and the prime minister has been stepped up amid fears of a 4 July terrorist plot by Bin Laden supporters.

The Mail claims there's been a dramatic increase in cases of measles because parents are saying no to the MMR vaccine.

It says the number of children catching the disease has quadrupled and now there are calls for a public inquiry.