Pace gathers in NI process

Blair and Ahern: Continued drive for new progress

Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern have arrived in Northern Ireland to step up the pace in the effort to find a breakthrough in the Northern Ireland peace process.

At present, both the UK and Irish prime ministers are holding a series of meetings with the smaller pro-agreement parties.

On Friday the premiers are expected to meet the Ulster Unionists, Sinn Fein and the SDLP.

Since Northern Ireland devolution was suspended on 11 February, the two governments have been meeting the parties, but the impasse between the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Fein over IRA arms and sharing power has remained unbroken.

Ulster Democratic Party leader Gary McMichael expressed concern about the apparent lack of "firm proposals on the table" following his meeting with the prime ministers.

"We need to be in a position very soon where there are concrete ideas being actively discussed between all of the parties."

Among the other smaller pro-agreement parties involved in Thursday's talks were the Women's Coalition Party, the Alliance Party and the Progressive Unionist Party.

'Leak'

The latest visit by the prime ministers comes amid claims that there were "problems" in the relationship between Irish foreign minister Brian Cowen and Secretary of State Peter Mandelson.

Ulster Unionist councillor Chris McGimpsey says he was handed a leaked Northern Ireland Office document by an "impeccable source" which suggests a growing strain between the two men.

Cowen's line appeared to be that beyond the constitutional acceptance that Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom, there should be no further evidence of Britishness in the governance of Northern Ireland

Alleged NIO document

Mr McGimpsey also said the document suggested the Irish government were trying to undermine "the Britishness of Northern Ireland".

The document suggested that this was an "argument presented with all the subtlety and open-mindedness that one would expect from a member of Sinn Fein".

"The Irish government is following the same agenda as Sinn Fein," said Mr McGimpsey.

"I see no clear water between the Irish government and the Provisional republican movement over the future of Northern Ireland."

The NIO responded by saying it did not comment on "allegedly leaked documents".

'Less enthusiastic'

A spokesman for the Irish government said:"We are not going to comment on leaks of alleged British reports on conversations between Ministers, by people whose interest is to subvert the work being done by both governments to make the peace process work."

It is understood the Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, held talks with the UK Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday as part of a behind-the-scenes effort to move the process forward.

After talks on Tuesday between the two men at Downing Street, Number 10 said it was confident another meeting was worthwhile, although the Irish prime minister appeared less enthusiastic.

On Wednesday, Dublin government sources said Mr Ahern would travel to Northern Ireland only if he felt there was something constructive to talk about.

Outwardly, it appeared there was no change in the pro-agreement parties' stance.

The Ulster Unionists look set to continue objecting to a return to a power-sharing executive with republicans, unless they see significant evidence of decommissioning.

On Tuesday, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble said he had seen little in recent weeks to provide a sense of optimism.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein said there could be no movement unless the British Government restored the Stormont assembly, which it suspended in February.

The republicans spent the longest time of any party with Mr Blair on Tuesday, but emerged to say they did not expect any statement from the IRA.

Phone conversation

The two prime ministers were expected to have spoken on the telephone over the past 24 hours, but according to Tony Blair's spokesman, a conversation did not take place.

It is understood, however, that officials have been sounding out the possibility of extending the role of the weapons decommissioning body, led by the Canadian General John de Chastelain, in a way that would satisfy both unionist and republican aspirations.

No-one is expecting a breakthrough before the "deadline" of 22 May, by which date, according to the Good Friday Agreement, all parties should have made their best efforts to ensure decommissioning takes place.