The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, joined forces last night to cast continuing IRA activity as the sole obstacle to a political settlement in the North. Frank Millar, London Editor, reports.
Speaking after more than an hour of talks at 10 Downing Street, Mr Ahern suggested that the progress made in previous negotiations in respect of all other outstanding issues was "still there . . . still in place".
However, he said it was not possible to move the process forward on an "inclusive" basis without a final and definitive response from the republican leadership on the issues of IRA criminality and weapons decommissioning.
Mr Ahern was speaking after his first face-to-face meeting with the prime minister to consider the political fallout from the £26.5 million Northern Bank robbery.
Both premiers were briefed about the robbery and the ongoing police investigation by PSNI Chief Constable, Mr Hugh Orde, and Garda Commissioner, Mr Noel Conroy.
Afterwards Mr Blair told reporters: "The obstacle now to a lasting and durable settlement in Northern Ireland is the continuing paramilitary activity and criminal activity of the IRA." Insisting that "it has got to stop and stop in its entirety - there can't be any compromise with that", Mr Blair echoed the Taoiseach's declared commitment to the full implementation of the Belfast Agreement. "If it is given up definitively and completely, the process can move forward on an inclusive basis."
However, Mr Blair and Mr Ahern faced complaints from the SDLP leader, Mr Mark Durkan, that they "shouldn't send a signal that this process can only move forward when the two governments and Sinn Féin are ready". Leading an SDLP delegation into Number 10 for separate talks following the prime ministerial summit, Mr Durkan said it was possible "to find a way forward without committing the mistake of exclusion" - a reference to his party's proposal for a panel of appointed commissioners to assume the role of the Northern Ireland Executive permitting the restoration of financial, legislative and other powers to the Stormont Assembly.
Following his meeting with Mr Blair, Mr Durkan welcomed the "clarity" of the statements made earlier by the British Prime Minister and the Taoiseach. "It is not a matter of sending a signal that we are moving against any one party at this stage, but making clear that we are not waiting until we can all only move forward with the say-so of the IRA," he said.
Mr Blair is likely to explore the SDLP's plan with the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, in talks tomorrow.