Governments pledge broad, balanced proposals

The Taoiseach Mr Ahern and the British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair said on Saturday that their "final package" designed to break the political deadlock in Northern Ireland would be balanced and comprehensive, and should be accepted by the parties.

At a press conference after the end of talks at Weston Park, Shropshire, involving the two governments and the pro-agreement parties, neither leader demurred from a journalist's suggestion that their proposals would be a "take it or leave it" document.

Mr Blair said their package, setting out how the issues of arms, policing, demilitarisation and safeguarding the institutions of the Belfast Agreement could be resolved, would be published "as soon as possible" and would be comprehensive. "We believe that the time for negotiation is concluded."

He did not accept that the week-long negotiations at Weston Park were a failure.

"I don't think it is the case that we have failed to reach agreement in the sense that we have put a package to people and they didn't accept it," he said. "What has happened is that we have negotiated now so that we see exactly where the positions of all the parties lie. We have a very clear position ourselves. We think we can now put a package that covers all the issues to people together and we hope very much that they will accept it."

Their joint purpose in putting together a formula to break the deadlock "was to drive the peace process forward because there is still enormous support amongst the parties and amongst the people of Northern Ireland" for the agreement, he added.

"We are not coming to you today and saying, `this is all done'. It isn't, but we believe it can be done," said Mr Blair.

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said the objective was to resolve outstanding matters. "The object of the week was that we would achieve a consensus that we would be able to put to the parties for agreement in a way that would see the full implementation of the Good Friday agreement," he said.

"We believe that we have done that now. I would say, from a negotiating point of view, this week has been a great success." The Taoiseach said the package to be put forward by the two governments would be balanced. Mr Blair added: "We believe we can put forward a proposition, a package, that should be accepted by the parties."

Mr Blair said he and Mr Ahern had a very clear position on what the package should contain. While some of the parties had indicated they were unhappy with the progress on arms and policing, he believed a formula could be devised that should be acceptable.

"Particular parties will have particular concerns about the package but we believe there is a way forward that can address those concerns. It will have to involve all the outstanding elements, and I think the single thing that does come across from all the parties is that they do see this as a package, and they want the whole of the agreement to be implemented," added Mr Blair.

He said the atmosphere at the talks was positive. There was a real and genuine desire to reach agreement "on the tricky issues that go right to the heart of the sensitivities of the communities in Northern Ireland".