Trimble and Adams agree on crisis talks

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble and Sinn Fein’s Gerry Adams agreed to hold head-to-head talks today in an attempt to deal with the crisis in the Northern Ireland peace process.

The Northern Ireland First Minister and Mr Adams were due to meet in Stormont during a week of frenetic diplomatic activity in Belfast, London and Dublin.

Mr Trimble faces a crucial meeting of his party’s ruling council on September 21 which will consider whether the party should remain in the Stormont power-sharing government with Sinn Fein.

UUP members have expressed concern about power sharing after allegations of ongoing IRA activity on the streets of Belfast and abroad.

The IRA has been accused of orchestrating street violence in sectarian flashpoint areas, of being behind the break-in at Castlereagh Police Station in March and of forging close links with the Colombian terror group FARC and maintaining links with other international terrorists.

Republicans have denied the allegations. They claim loyalist paramilitaries have orchestrated street violence in Belfast during the summer and accuse certain elements in the security services of being behind the Castlereagh break-in.

Today’s meeting between Mr Trimble and Mr Adams precedes a round of talks involving Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Northern Ireland parties, including a meeting with the nationalist SDLP leader Mark Durkan tomorrow.

United States President George W Bush’s special adviser in Northern Ireland Richard Haass is also due in Northern Ireland on Thursday to meet the Northern Ireland parties and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will hold talks in Dublin with Northern Ireland politicians later this week.