Bush backs NI political package

Package presented by John Reid and Brian Cowen

United States President George Bush has urged the Northern Ireland parties to reflect carefully on the proposals by the British and Irish Governments aimed at breaking the political deadlock.

The president said he had telephoned the British and Irish prime ministers to state his strong support for their package of proposals.

However, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has warned there can be no progress in Northern Ireland without decommissioning, despite the governments' blueprint.

The main pro-Agreement parties have said they will study in detail the 10-page document published on Wednesday.

The package covers all four outstanding issues - policing, normalisation, the stability of the institutions and disarmament - in an attempt to implement the Good Friday Agreement.

The parties have been given only five days to respond.

	:	Fast Facts Primer
Click above to launch a primer on what the governments have proposed.

The document says decommissioning is an "indispensable" part of the Agreement and must be resolved in a manner acceptable to the decommissioning body.

Mr Trimble has said he will withdraw his party from the Stormont Government if the IRA does not begin destroying weapons.

On 1 July Mr Trimble resigned as first minister because the IRA had not begun to disarm.

Ruling council

The Ulster Unionist ruling council will meet to consider the party's response on Monday evening, while MPs and assembly members will also be consulted.

The Irish prime minister, Bertie Ahern, said he believed the proposals were balanced.

Gerry Adams: Party to study package

Meanwhile, the deputy leader of the anti-Agreement Democratic Unionist Party, Peter Robinson, said the document failed to address unionist concerns.

Leader of the nationalist SDLP John Hume said it was important the benefits resulting from the Good Friday Agreement were not lost.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said his party's ruling executive would meet on Friday to examine the package.

'Best conclusions'

Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid said the proposals "summarise the best conclusions" from the mass of work and details that had marked the last six months.

The latest crisis in the peace process was brought to a head by the resignation of David Trimble as first minister, leaving the parties with six weeks to find a resolution.

If there has been no deal by 12 August, the British Government will have to either suspend the assembly - even if only for a short period to give more room for manoeuvre - or call an assembly election.