The British Prime Minister appealed to the Northern Ireland political parties to help in completing the peace process. Mr Tony Blair said: "The Good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland will continue but it cannot yet be implemented - that is the outcome of today - and I hope I am right in saying `not yet'. "I hope that I am right in thinking a summer break for dialogue and time to consider the deal will help."
Mr Blair, who was speaking at a Business in the Community award lunch in central London, said: "I will do all that I can for peace but you, the political parties in Northern Ireland, must help."
Great strides had already been made in trying to resolve the Northern Ireland crisis but "peace is not perfect", said Mr Blair.
He said: "Only one thing remains outstanding; it is a matter of trust. "Will the unionists really share power with non-unionists, and will republicans really relinquish the gun? My own belief is that the answer to both questions is yes. "If they do not learn to understand one another, normal politics in Northern Ireland will never take root."
Mr Blair said: "If these people do not learn to build trust and to recognise the pain and injustice on the other side as well as their own, then normal politics in Northern Ireland will never take root and there will never be peace."
He urged the political parties to continue working towards a successful peace agreement.
"The recriminations and criticisms of today's events will pass. Put them behind you and get to work. Work together to earn trust, because with the absence of that trust there will never be peace.
"You must choose the political destiny of Northern Ireland. I will help you and I will never give up until the destiny of Northern Ireland is the real peace that the people there deserve."