North’s Assembly could be dissolved, Blair says

THE North’s Assembly could be facing dissolution if the feuding parties there don’t come to some decision in the coming months, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday.

Setting a September deadline for resolving the peace process, Mr Blair said the "point of decision" had come to see if the problems that led to the suspension of the Stormont Assembly could be resolved.

Mr Blair said the Government's had set aside several days for intensive negotiations with the parties, but said if those failed the search would start for an alternative. He signalled that the alternative could mean dissolution of Stormont.