Efforts to deal with the North’s troubled past have failed, Amnesty International claimed.

The North's deputy first Minister, Martin McGuinness, has described sectarianism as being no different to racism or homophobia.

Talks aimed at resolving tensions over parades, flags and addressing Northern Ireland’s conflict legacy have laid foundations for a more peaceful future, the First Minister said.

Sinn Féin has agreed to back proposals made by US diplomat Richard Haass.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister has said much more work is needed to produce a deal on contentious parades, flags and dealing with a troubled past.

The Ulster Unionists tonight rejected proposals by Dr Richard Haass to find a settlement on flags, parading and dealing with the North’s troubled past.

Proposals to resolve contentious issues in Northern Ireland would leave people considerably better off, former US diplomat Dr Richard Haass has said.

Unionist leaders must tell the public whether or not they back the outcome of the Haass peace issues talks, Martin McGuinness has said.

The Stormont talks led by those very patient Americans, Richard Haass and Meghan O’Sullivan, aimed at consolidating progress made in the North in recent years, may not have ended in an entirely positive way but it is not unreasonable to hope that even this inconclusive episode represents an advance of sorts, especially in a society still so unable to be at ease with itself.

Sinn Féin's ruling party executive is to meet on January 11 to consider the proposed Northern Ireland peace deal.

Northern Ireland’s political leaders published a draft agreement on outstanding peace process issues only hours after Executive parties failed to reach consensus on the proposals.

The North’s political leaders have published a draft agreement on outstanding peace process issues only hours after Executive parties failed to reach consensus on the proposals..

Marathon all-night negotiations to resolve outstanding peace process issues in the North have failed to produce an agreement.

Politicians in the North were last night locked in last-ditch negotiations to strike a deal on outstanding peace process issues.

Politicians in the North are set for another late night of negotiations in a last-ditch attempt to strike a deal on outstanding peace process issues.

Final hothouse political negotiations will begin in the North today in a last-ditch bid to find agreement on contentious issues left over from the peace process.

The Obama administration has urged politicians in Northern Ireland to compromise on a deal on parading, flags, and dealing with the region’s troubled past.

The Obama administration has urged politicians in Northern Ireland to compromise on a deal on parading, flags and dealing with the region’s troubled past.

Part of the proposed political deal is “unworkable”, Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson said.

Final agreement on dealing with Northern Ireland’s troubled past, parades and flags must be struck by Monday, the independent chairs of all-party talks has said.

The former US diplomat Richard Haass has said there is a real opportunity for progress today, as talks resume on some of the North's most contentious issues.

Former US diplomat Richard Haass is due to host resumed talks in Belfast aimed at solving some of Northern Ireland's most contentious issues.

The leader of Northern Ireland’s largest nationalist party has urged all sides to make progress in a new bid to end the deadlock and reach agreement over flags, disputed parades and the past.

For US diplomat Richard Haass has launched a new bid to end the deadlock and reach agreement with all sides in Northern Ireland over flags, disputed parades and the past.

Marathon through-the-night political negotiations in Belfast have failed to produce an agreement to deal with unresolved peace process issues in the North.

Crunch political talks aimed at resolving outstanding peace process issues in the North are set to go on long into the evening.

All party crunch talks are due to begin in Northern Ireland today to try to seal a pre-Christmas agreement on controversial parades, flags and dealing with a troubled history.

Political parties have been asked for their views on a new flag for Northern Ireland.

British prime minister David Cameron has distanced himself from a proposal by the North’s attorney general to end prosecutions in Troubles-related murders.

Political leaders in Ireland and the UK have today appeared to reject a proposal by the North’s attorney general to end prosecutions in conflict-related cases.

Relatives of Troubles’ victims have expressed outrage at a proposal by the North’s attorney general to end prosecutions in conflict related cases.

There should be no more criminal prosecutions in Troubles related murders, the North’s attorney general has proposed.

The former US diplomat trying to find political agreement on outstanding peace process issues in Northern Ireland has insisted his end-of-year deadline is achievable.

Governments in Dublin and London should join all-party negotiations in the North on dealing with the legacy of the past, victims of the Troubles have said.

The hope which followed the Good Friday Agreement should not be lost through one-dimensional politics, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said.

A former US diplomat trying to resolve ongoing issues in the North will today hold talks with the Irish Government.

The ex-White House envoy drafted in to help resolve some of the North's most divisive issues has said he leaves the region with a great sense of confidence.

Peace process gains in Northern Ireland cannot be taken for granted and much work is needed to address the unresolved issues facing the region, a former US diplomat said as he arrived in Belfast to chair a new political talks initiative.

Dr Richard Haass is to begin the first round of critical talks aimed at resolving some of the North's most divisive issues.

The US diplomat tasked with finding a resolution to parading controversies in Northern Ireland has insisted that politics is the only way.

ENDA KENNY has never received enough credit for his environmental consciousness but during his whirlwind trip to New York he was remarkably keen to push the green agenda.

SINN FÉIN leader Gerry Adams admitted yesterday he was disappointed with the White House snub to his party.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams admitted today he was disappointed with the snub issued to his party by the White House.

US President George Bush has been attacked by his main Democratic rival for pushing the Northern Ireland peace process down the White House’s foreign policy agenda.