Taoiseach to meet Paisley and Blair in London

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will meet DUP leader Rev Ian Paisley and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London on Wednesday.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will meet DUP leader Rev Ian Paisley and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London on Wednesday.

It will be the first meeting between DUP and the Government since the British general elections saw the DUP become the largest Northern Ireland party in Westminster.

The Taoiseach will be accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell. They will meet Dr Paisley and other party members Peter Robinson and Nigel Dodds. The meeting will take place in London's Irish embassy between 10 and 11am. on Wednesday

"The Government has made it clear that it wishes to have a positive and open relationship with the DUP," a Government spokesman said this morning.

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"The meeting will focus on the political process and the possibilities for progress," he added. At 12.30pm on Wednesday, Mr Ahern will meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the House of Commons.

The two will discuss Northern Ireland as well as the upcoming meeting of the European Council in Brussels on June 16th and 17th, at which the European constitution will be discussed.