Fresh attempt to aid NI peace process

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson is to discuss fresh measures to implement the Good Friday Agreement with the province's political parties.

He made the comments on Wednesday during prime minister's question time in the House of Commons, amid continuing concern over the faltering peace process.

Deep divisions have emerged within the Stormont executive over the imposition of sanctions on Sinn Fein by the Ulster Unionist Party.

First Minister and Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble met the prime minister in London on Wednesday evening, for half-hour talks about the political situation.

But Mr Mandelson told the Commons he would continue to work to see the implementation of the 1998 peace accord.

"In the coming weeks, I will be discussing with the parties a set of measures to implement all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement so as to bolster confidence on both sides of the community," he said.

"These measures must include, among other things, progress on decommissioning and fully functioning political institution."

He said both were "essential and neither should be frustrated by those hardliners which exist on both sides".

Earlier on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Downing Street said the two goals set out by Mr Mandelson last week remained government priorities.

These goals were to lift the ban on Sinn Fein ministers attending North South Ministerial Council meetings, and to see the IRA re-engage with the body overseeing decommissioning.

The meeting came a day after the prime minister met Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams.

At the meeting, Mr Adams expressed hope that the row over the ban on his party's ministers could be resolved.

Speaking outside 10 Downing Street on Tuesday, Mr Adams said he hoped the government would be able to settle the issue.

However, he said that if the ban was not lifted soon he would be discussing possible legal action with his party colleagues early next week.

Mr Trimble said he had imposed the ban, which affects Sinn Fein ministers Bairbre de Brun and Martin McGuinness, because he had been running out of patience with the IRA over a lack of progress on decommissioning.

He has demanded that the IRA restarts talks on disarmament with General John de Chastelain's decommissioning body as soon as possible.

On 28 October, the Ulster Unionist Party's ruling council backed Mr Trimble's plan.

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson has said he could not force Mr Trimble to lift his ban.