Blair may meet pro-agreement party leaders tomorrow

Mr Tony Blair may meet pro agreement party leaders in London tomorrow ahead of possible meetings next week to be chaired by him and the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, aimed at moving the stalled political process.

The SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, is hoping to meet leaders of the Sinn Fein and Ulster Unionist parties in the coming days in an effort to keep alive his proposed compromise, which would mean parties linked to paramilitary organisations expelling themselves from the executive if there was a return to violence.

As Friday week's deadline for resolving the deadlock approaches, pro-agreement parties yesterday cited the Irish Times/ RTE poll as evidence that the public will is to see the agreement urgently implemented. Sinn Fein and the UUP, however, appeared as polarised as ever on decommissioning.

Should the parties fail to break the deadlock over the formation of an executive and some paramilitary disarmament by Friday week, it is expected that, as the European elections shift into gear, the two governments will have no option but to "park" the process until the autumn.

But there is no sign of any meeting of minds between Sinn Fein and the UUP over how to surmount the weapons obstacle.

Mr Hume, nonetheless, is trying to arrange meetings with the Sinn Fein and UUP leaderships to discuss his proposal further.

Sinn Fein's initial response to the proposal was guardedly supportive while the UUP deputy leader, Mr John Taylor, complained it did not address the central arms question. Mr Hume, however, told yesterday's Irish News that he had had "a good discussion" on Monday with the UUP leader, Mr David Trimble.

"Of course, Mr Trimble has his reservations about it. That is understandable. But I am very pleased that he has agreed to keep the discussions open with me.

"I am also maintaining contact with Sinn Fein. And I hope that we will be able to arrange that representatives of the three parties get together to discuss this matter in depth with the objective of reaching an agreed approach on this impasse," said Mr Hume.

Mr Ahern and Mr Blair, who spoke by phone for 15 minutes yesterday, will continue to exercise pressure for a solution that would prevent the process being stalled until the autumn.

Mr Blair, according to Downing Street last night, may meet party leaders in London tomorrow. Round-table talks, involving the pro-agreement parties and British and Irish government ministers, are also being pencilled in for tomorrow at Stormont.

Mr Blair and Mr Ahern may chair a further round of meetings with the pro-agreement parties next week. No venue has been chosen yet but, with the Kosovo crisis still to the fore of Mr Blair's responsibilities, London could be the location, even though it is Dublin's turn to host these talks.

Pro and anti-agreement parties took their own particular readings from the Irish Times/RTE poll, which found that 73 per cent of people now support the Belfast Agreement but that just over half of respondents believe the agreement will survive another 12 months.

The Sinn Fein chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, said Mr Trimble should now "call the bluff of the No men" and allow the formation of an executive.

Responding to the poll he said it was consistent with Sinn Fein's findings that "David Trimble is not under the type of pressure that the Ulster Unionists are portraying in order to justify their refusal to implement the agreement".

Mr Dermot Nesbitt, a senior UUP Assembly member, said the poll showed that the people were keeping faith with the Belfast Agreement.

The DUP Assembly member, Mr Ian Paisley jnr, said the poll indicated the confusion in the Yes camp. "On the one hand they are saying they want to support the agreement. On the other hand they are saying they know it is not going to work," he said.

An SDLP Assembly member, Mr Sean Farren, said the poll proved that the overwhelming majority of people wanted the agreement to work and to be implemented.