Trimble and Ahern hope time would be 'used wisely'

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has emerged from talks with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in Dublin.

Mr Trimble said that both he and Mr Ahern hoped that the "little time" left before the Assembly folds would be "used wisely".

There was little sign of a definite breakthrough from the talks, which included Acting Stormont First Minister Sir Reg Empey and Liz O’Donnell, minister of state in the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Mr Trimble emerged with Mr Empey after the meeting which lasted just over an hour.

The Taoiseach did not join them.

"Everybody appreciates the gravity of this situation. There is now very little time left to play with," Mr Trimble said.

"All we can say on our part and the Taoiseach’s is that we hope the time that is left available is used wisely.

"It is still possible for the Republican movement to keep the promises that they made ... in terms of satisfying General de Chastelain and the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning.

"We would be delighted if that happened but at the moment there is precious little sign of that happening and the consequences for the process are obvious and known to us all."

Before the meeting Mr Trimble told reporters he hoped the meeting would "cheer him up" but was not optimistic.

Asked if it had cheered him up he said: "I am going to decline answering that in precise terms because I wouldn’t want my answer in any way to reflect on the Taoiseach personally, but, no, I think we all appreciate the gravity of the situation.

"At Weston Park the Republicans were left in no doubt both from the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister that what is needed is for them to commence actual decommissioning.

"The position of the British Government, the Irish Government and ourselves has been the same before Weston Park and throughout the last few months. We are waiting for actual decommissioning.

"There is still time, lets hope they use it but if they don’t use it then we know where we are going to be as a result."