Meeting between Ahern and Blair 'positive'

The meeting between the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Brussels has ended.

The meeting, which discussed the current deadlock in the peace process, was reported to have been a positive one. The meeting was held as part of ongoing contact between the two governments, as work continues to get the Stormont Assembly up and running again.

It's understood that the meeting discussed ways of trying to help Sinn Fiin find a way to deal with a British request to disband the IRA.

The focus, however, will switch to Monaghan town tomorrow, when Sinn Fiin will give a formal response to Tony Blair's request for the Provisional IRA to formally disband.