Reid and Cowen discuss latest UUP deadline

Northern Secretary John Reid and Foreign Affairs Minister Brian Cowen are meeting in Dublin today to discuss the latest crisis in the Irish peace process.

On Saturday, the Ulster Unionist Party unveiled a fresh threat to collapse the North’s political institutions in January if the IRA has not proven its commitment to democracy.

The policy has been slammed by all other parties to the Good Friday Agreement and most observers believe it was adopted to boost the UUP’s position ahead of Assembly elections next May.

Dr Reid and Mr Cowen are expected to discuss whether IRA disbandment or further IRA decommissioning can be achieved by January, but the Northern Secretary is also expected to raise the possibility of cancelling next year’s elections in an effort to prevent a crisis.