The Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, has offered to meet republican inmates - as well as loyalist prisoners - when she visits the Maze Prison near Belfast on Friday.

The republican leadership at the Maze will consult senior Sinn Fein officials before making a decision.

Ms Mowlam announced on Wednesday that she would use Friday's meeting to make a personal appeal to the loyalists to keep faith with the talks process.

She will meet the leaders of two outlawed loyalist Paramilitary organisations - the Ulster Defence Association and the Ulster Freedom Fighters. Their political spokesmen at the peace talks have failed to get the agreement of prisoners to continue their participation in the peace process.

Mo Mowlam

If the parties are not present when the talks resume on Monday, there are fears the negotiations will collapse and large-scale violence will return.

The loyalist groups represented at the peace talks have kept a ceasefire in Northern Ireland for three years.

But they feel they have not been rewarded in the way that republicans have been.

The IRA is also observing a ceasefire. Some of its IRA prisoners have been transferred from the British mainland to jails in Northern Ireland, closer to their homes.

Other IRA prisoners in the Irish Republic have actually been released on licence.

High-risk strategy

The BBC Northern Ireland correspondent, Dennis Murray, says Ms Mowlam's high-risk strategy sets a dangerous precedent.

By proposing to meet republican as well as loyalist convicted terrorists, she is trying to show some element of even-handedness.

But some accuse her of being dictated to by people who have committed violent, terrorist crimes. In turn she says she will not let the prisoners tell her what to do.

This is not Ms Mowlam's first visit to the Maze - she went there as shadow Northern Ireland spokesperson when Labour was in opposition.

Maze governor Martin Mogg

The Maze governor Martin Mogg praised her courage in agreeing to meet top loyalist paramilitaries.

"It's a brave decision. She wants to progress and to succeed and needs all the help she can get. We can guarantee her safety, absolutely," he said.

Arrangements are also being made for her to meet leaders of the rival loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Volunteer Force.

Mr Mogg gave journalists open access to the prison on Thursday - a major policy change - and allowed them to talk freely to loyalist and republican inmates.
 

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