Bush pledge for NI peace process

President Bush says he will help in any way

US President George W Bush has promised he will do anything he can to help the peace process in Northern Ireland.

He was speaking at a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday.

The British and Irish governments are to put a final package of proposals to the Northern Ireland pro-Agreement parties in an attempt to salvage the political process.

The announcement was made after six days of talks at Weston Park on the Staffordshire-Shropshire border ended on Saturday without a breakthrough.

George Bush: "I'm just a phone call away"

The proposals will focus on the disposal of paramilitary weapons, policing and demilitarisation.

The parties expect to receive the proposals in the next week to 10 days.

Mr Bush said: "If there is anything I can do to help bring peace in the region I will do so.

"And make no mistake about it, people shouldn't have any doubt as to where my government stands - we stay strongly side by side with Britain when it comes to decommissioning."

Mr Bush added: "I stand ready to help in any way. I'm just a phone call away."

Outstanding issues

The two leaders were asked about their discussion at Chequers on Northern Ireland.

Mr Blair told reporters that the package to be put before the parties would be a balanced one, addressing all the outstanding issues, including decommissioning.

The prime minister warned that one only had to look at the Middle East to realise how quickly "a situation that looks optimistic can become unstable and dangerous".

Mr Blair said the Good Friday Agreement represented "the only hope for the people of Northern Ireland".

If no agreement is reached by 12 August, Mr Blair must decide whether to suspend the Northern Ireland Assembly or call fresh elections.

The two administrations have said it would be "a tragedy" not to build on the achievements already made.

Resignation

The current political crisis was brought about by the resignation of David Trimble as the Northern Ireland first minister on 1 July.

He has refused to continue sitting in government with republicans until the IRA begins to decommission its weapons.

Mr Trimble said the republican movement had become completely isolated on the weapons issue.

The president and Mr Blair appeared at a media conference at RAF Halton, near the prime minister's Chequers country retreat as Mr Bush continued his whistlestop first official visit to Britain.

The president arrived in the UK on Wednesday evening and will travel to the G8 summit in Genoa, Italy, with Mr Blair on Friday.