Parties handed peace proposals

The Irish and British Governments have presented a paper aimed at saving the Good Friday Agreement to the North's political parties.

The parties have until August 6 to respond to the paper, or there may be fresh Assembly elections or a suspension of the institutions.

The two Governments say that decommissioning is an indispensable part of the Good Friday Agreement and must be resolved in a verifiable manner by the Decommissioning Body.

The paper includes publishing a revised implementation plan on policing to deal with Special Branch, and the use of plastic bullets, pledging to bring policing more into line with the Patten Report.

The paper names four British Army installations that will be demolished including three look-out posts in South Armagh.

It proposes a review of the Parades Commission, and as predicted, proposes an independent judge to review cases where either loyalist or republican collusion is suspected in controversial killings like that of Pat Finucane.

It also proposes the non-prosecution of fugitives allied to groups on ceasefire would be natural successor to the early release scheme.