Leaders reaffirm stance on peace

Mr Bertie Ahern, Mr John Hume and Mr Gerry Adams have reiterated their total and absolute commitment to exclusively democratic and peaceful methods of resolving political problems.

Following the first meeting between the Government and the Sinn Fein president since the ending of the original IRA ceasefire, a joint statement was issued.

Asked if there was any particular reason why they did not endorse the Mitchell principles in their statement, Mr Ahern said that the Mitchell principles were agreed by them all.

As they posed for photographs, the SDLP leader, Mr Hume, said his appeal to people about their meeting was: "Don't be looking at the picture of the three of us. Look at what we have said because we have made very clear that our objective is agreement among our divided people. We make it clear that the problem can't be resolved without the agreement of the unionists".

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Burke, will meet the Northern Secretary, Dr Mowlam, in Dublin on Tuesday to review their strategy for the all-party talks on September 15th.

Mr Ahern also indicated that he would see some merit in having a meeting of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in the autumn. The Taoiseach said after the meeting that the British and Irish governments remain "absolutely committed" to the September 15th deadline for substantive talks on Northern Ireland.

He also issued an invitation to Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble to meet him in Dublin.

"All of the conditions that were set down we have been working to fulfil. Now that there is an IRA ceasefire it allows Sinn Fein to take their position at those talks," said the Taoiseach. "Any leader of a political party anywhere on the island of Ireland and most particularly from the North of Ireland that wishes to meet me, I'll meet them.

"I intend to take the opportunity of meeting the leaders and delegations from Northern parties. I will issue those invitations to all parties and, hopefully in time, all of them will come to meet me. I dearly hope that the day can be reached in the not-too-distant future when we can be here and that David Trimble and others would be here with us."