Blair official meets Sinn Fein

Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness met the government official

The prime minister's chief of staff has held talks with the Sinn Fein leadership in Belfast, the BBC has learned.

One source said Jonathan Powell met Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness in an attempt to kick-start the talks process.

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

It is thought the governments want to make progress before the British and Irish prime ministers and the unionist and republican leaderships go on holiday.

It is believed the two Sinn Fein members met Mr Powell on Tuesday, however, a Sinn Fein spokesman refused to say if that meeting had taken place.

But Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness were seen entering the Belfast headquarters of the Anglo-Irish Secretariat.

Election call

It is understood that is where they met Mr Powell and that Irish Government officials were also involved in discussions.

Mr Adams refused to be drawn on the details of his discussions, but described the wider political picture in Northern Ireland as "dismal".

The west Belfast MP said progress was being hampered by both the "crisis within unionism" and the "crisis within the British system".

One source told the BBC that the current background discussions were about setting the scene for new talks in September.

A Sinn Fein spokesman would only say his party remained in contact with the two governments and the other parties.

He said Sinn Fein was focussed on bringing an end to a "crisis" in the political process and ensuring the government called elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly as soon as possible.

A Downing Street spokesman would not be drawn on the talks but said the government kept in touch with the parties.

In May, the government announced that the assembly elections had been postponed until the autumn over a "lack of clarity about the IRA's future intentions".

Tony Blair said the IRA's "point-blank refusal" to rule out all paramilitary activities meant the postponement of the elections was necessary.