Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid has again appealed to Sinn Féin to join the Policing Board that oversees the North’s police service, it has been reported.
Dr Reid repeated his call before he travelled to Washington to meet key White House advisers including US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell; US President Bush's special adviser on Northern Ireland, Mr Richard Haass; and US Attorney General Mr John Ashcroft.
Dr Reid said the fact the board last week found an agreement on how the Omagh bombing investigation should be moved forward showed consensus could be reached on the policing issue.
Sinn Féin has refused to join the new Policing Board because it said the changes to the North’s police force did not go far enough.