The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader, Mr David Trimble, and the Catholic Primate, Archbishop Sean Brady, are expected to meet in Armagh early next month. They will discuss the peace process and, more particularly, whether unionists should engage in talks with Sinn Fein.
Mr Trimble is due to lead senior party members in talks with Dr Brady at the Archbishop's residence. It is understood that Dr Brady will be joined by senior members of the Catholic Hierarchy and laity in the ground-breaking discussions.
The talks are being held as part of the consultation process which the UUP has embarked upon in an effort to determine the public mood regarding whether unionists should engage in an inclusive talks process involving Sinn Fein.
Mr Dermot Nesbitt, a member of the UUP's talks team, confirmed last night that the Catholic Hierarchy had accepted a request for talks. He would not give an exact date but said they would be held in early September.
"We want to have a general exchange of views between senior Catholic Church members and senior members of our party as to what may be the best way forward. We hope to listen to each other and to learn from each other," said Mr Nesbitt.
The talks would be in private, and confidentiality on the nature of the discussions would be guaranteed if requested, Mr Nesbitt said. However, the Catholic Church would be free to divulge what was discussed if it so wished.
It is understood that the UUP is reluctant to be too specific on the time and date for the talks in case they provoke protests from fundamentalist Protestant groups or some members of the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party.
Mr Nesbitt said that the UUP met leading members of the North's business community at party headquarters in Glengall Street, Belfast, yesterday. In recent weeks business leaders have been urging Mr Trimble and his party to enter an inclusive talks process at Stormont and put their case to Sinn Fein directly.
"So far the talks are going very well. We have heard the views and concerns of the business community, and also asked them to understand our own views, concerns and difficulties," said Mr Nesbitt.
He said unionists found it interesting that, while business leaders appeared to be holding to their line on inclusive talks, some expressed surprise with the current talks formula of nothing being agreed until everything was agreed. It was a principle that could not work in the business world, some of them said.
