Sinn Fein reports no progress in current NI talks

Sinn Féin said today that no progress had been made in discussions aimed at breaking the current impasse in the Northern Ireland…

Sinn Féin said today that no progress had been made in discussions aimed at breaking the current impasse in the Northern Ireland peace process.

Policing spokesman Mr Gerry Kelly MLA said the situation was no further on than it was yesterday.

He said his party was not involved in any further discussions and repeated Sinn Féin's call for the Irish and British governments to publish their joint declaration.

"Our discussions with the two governments on the measures needed to implement the Agreement are now finished," he said.However, intense pressure was being maintained on republicans today to get the IRA to publicly declare an end to paramilitarism and which both governments say will open the way for the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland.

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An Taoiseach Mr Ahern and British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair, said they still hoped to shortly publish their delayed declaration on the implementation of the Belfast Agreement in full.

The premiers had telephone discussions during the day and there were indications they would publish tomorrow.

The two leaders had been due to put forward their proposals at a meeting with the pro-Agreement parties at Hillsborough Castle on Thursday, but put it on hold at the last moment.

It is understood Downing Street was unhappy with the wording of a draft response from the IRA and did not believe it went far enough to enable Mr Blair to sell the package to unionists.