Adams renews election date call

Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams spoke at the end of US visit

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has again called for Prime Minister Tony Blair to set a date for assembly elections to be held in Northern Ireland.

Mr Adams said everyone he had spoken to during a four-day visit to New York and Boston believed the British Government must set a date for the election.

He was speaking following a meeting with US special envoy to Northern Ireland Richard Haass in New York.

Northern Ireland's devolved administration was suspended last October amid allegations of IRA intelligence gathering in the Stormont government.

Mr Adams said: "Everyone I have spoken to in the US believes that the political imperative for the British Government is to set a date certain for the election."

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Tony Blair called for a swift return to devolved government in Northern Ireland.

"We need the political institutions back up and running again. That is what we are going to work towards and I hope we will be successful," Mr Blair said.

Speaking at his monthly televised news conference in Downing Street, Mr Blair described the current political situation in the province as "too fragile".

Tony Blair said political situation was "too fragile"

Mr Adams said that he had told Mr Haass that an election date had to be set.

Welcoming Mr Blair`s statement, he said he hoped it was "evidence of the British Government realising that the cancellation of the elections was a mistake".

He said the logic of Mr Blair`s position was that "he should set a date certain for the elections and that, in his words, we can see the political institutions back up and running".

Earlier this month, Mr Blair met Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern in London to set out a working agenda in an attempt to move the process forward.

At that stage, an official spokesman said it was the British Government's "strong preference" that elections should take place in the autumn.

However, he added that they had to be held in a context which would lead to a viable executive.