The Irish and British governments issued firm assurances today about the temporary nature of arrangements in operation during the current suspension of the elected Northern Ireland Assembly.
The pledges were made after a ministerial meeting involving the two governments at Farmleigh in Dublin ahead of round table talks scheduled with pro-Agreement parties for Belfast tomorrow in a bid to kick-start the peace process.
The move followed expression of unease from members of the Ulster Unionist Party of former Northern Ireland First Minister Mr David Trimble about the power of the north-south administrative mechanisms in place during the assembly's absence, and the prospect of them acting independently of politicians.
The governments circulated what they called "a statement of clarification in response to certain concerns" about the agreement between them relating to decisions to be taken on policies and actions relating to implementation bodies set up under the terms of the Belfast Agreement.
The statement stressed: "This agreement will terminate following the restoration of the assembly. Related Irish legislation will cease to operate on the earliest practicable day after the termination of the agreement.
"These temporary and remedial arrangements between our two governments are made in the expectation of an early resumption of devolution in Northern Ireland.
"These structures and arrangements will not be retained in the absence of the meaningful functioning of other institutions provided for under the [Belfast] Agreement of Good Friday, 1998."
After a two-hour meeting between the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Northern Secretary Mr Paul Murphy and Northern Ireland Office security minister Ms Jane Kennedy emphasised the "care and maintenance" nature of the present arrangements between the governments, and looked forward to the restorations of the assembly and the institutions "as soon as possible."
Mr Cowen said the current administrative set up was "temporary, sensible, care and management arrangements."
The meeting considered, as well, the policing issue in Northern Ireland and criminal justice issues.
And on security, the conference focused on measures being taken to deal with paramilitary activities, sectarian violence and the combating of organised crime.
PA