Irish and British Governments to meet Northern parties

There is fresh hope in the North this morning that the current deadlock may be broken by a new deal agreed by the Irish and British Governments.

Republicans will be asked to declare the war is over so that the Stormont Executive can be restored to power.

The Irish and British Governments will meet the Northern parties on Wednesday to outline their new proposals to re-start the peace process. The deal calls on republicans to declare the war is over, join the North's policing board and begin a definite process of decommissioning.

The British Government will reciprocate by submitting clear plans to dismantle watchtowers and Ulster Unionists will share power with Sinn Fein once again.

Dublin and London are hopeful the initiative will help restore power to the Northern Executive for the assembly elections due in May.

The sticking points of the peace plan are that the onus is on republicans to move first but the signals are not good and Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said yesterday that the mood was not right for the IRA to make a significant gesture.