'Intense' talks on policing held

Gerry Adams has been holding talks with Tony Blair about policing

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has held a series of discussions on policing with Tony Blair over recent days.

Sinn Fein said the talks with the British government, including some on Wednesday, have been "intense".

A spokesman said the talks follow the lack of a positive response from the DUP to Sinn Fein's decision to call a special party conference on policing.

The conference had been expected to take place before the end of January but is now in doubt.

The DUP's Ian Paisley Junior said Sinn Fein's statement had an air of panic about it.

"Our party leader's comment in recent days couldn't have been any clearer," he said.

"I think you can smell the panic in Sinn Fein from this latest statement. They know what republicans have to do."

Vote

Last month, the Sinn Fein leadership voted to hold the conference on the issue of whether to support policing in Northern Ireland.

More than two-thirds of the executive voted in favour of the meeting.

Mr Adams said the meeting would be held if the two governments and the DUP gave a positive response.

In his new year message DUP leader Ian Paisley said Sinn Fein's "begrudging movement" on policing reduced the prospect of any immediate action towards restoring devolution.

However, the DUP leader said his party would "not be found wanting" if Sinn Fein honoured its commitment "with actions".

Sinn Fein support for policing would be viewed as removing one of the main obstacles to restoring devolution.