PMs to finalise NI political plan

The talks were due to take place at Stormont

The British and Irish PMs will finalise a strategy for restoring the NI institutions when they meet in London later this week.

NI secretary Peter Hain said they would not be pushed aside by anything which would get in the way of that process.

He was speaking after the disclosure that talks planned for Stormont on Wednesday had been postponed.

However, Mr Hain said Political Development Minister David Hanson would soon be briefing the parties.

He will speak to them on the paper for the preparations for the restoration of the institutions, said Mr Hain.

'Lack of direction'

Asked about recent loyalist violence, he said the gangsterism must end but that it was important loyalist leaders who wanted to move forward were supported.

Mr Hain and Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern will also attend the meeting on Wednesday.

Some politicians believe the postponement of the talks in Belfast was a sign of a lack of direction in the political process.

Mr Hain had highlighted Wednesday as a target date for potential changes to the rules of any future Stormont assembly.

Downing Street said neither a joint British-Irish news conference nor a definitive policy statement was expected after this week's prime ministerial talks.

Devolved government at Stormont was suspended in 2002 following allegations of a republican spy ring at the Northern Ireland Office.