Ahern and Blair discuss Northern crisis

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair met on the fringes of the EU summit in Ghent today to discuss the current crisis facing the Irish peace process.

Sinn Fein is also in intensive negotiations with the Irish and British Governments and the Ulster Unionist Party in an attempt to save the Northern Assembly from its third suspension this year.

The UUP executive also met in Belfast this evening.

Speaking ahead of that meeting, hardliner Jeffrey Donaldson said a one-off act of decommissioning from the IRA will not be sufficient to save the political institutions.

This statement has sparked fear among many republicans that, even if the IRA disposes of some weapons in the coming days, the UUP will still refuse to co-operate with Sinn Fein, its partners in government.