The Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid moved this morning to lower expectationsof a breakthrough at next week's talks aimed at rescuing the BelfastAgreement.
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Dr John Reid: "I don't want to raise expectations"
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He warned that the peace process was in a "critical phase" following the resignation of Mr David Trimble as First Minister last week's over the IRA’s failure to decommission its weapons.
The Taoiseach Mr Ahern and the British Prime Minister Mr Blair have summoned the main pro-Agreement parties for a two-day crisis meeting at a secluded conference centre in Shropshire next Monday, in the hopes of thrashing out a deal.
However Dr Reid, while promising that the negotiations would be "very intensive indeed", was downbeat about the prospects of success.
"I wouldn't want to raise optimism," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. "All of the parties know what the outstanding issues are, everyone says they are committed to doing their utmost to resolve them, so if people live up to their commitments on this it is possible to do something, but I don't want to raise expectations.
"The talks of course are taking place outside Northern Ireland and I hope that will help concentrate minds on the resolution of those parts of the Good Friday Agreement that have yet to be implemented."
He alsoappealed for calm on all sides in the run-up to the Drumcree parade.
"At any moment we could have difficulties here. I obviously hope that cool heads will prevail both in the Province and during the talks," he said.
PA