Haass wants speedy NI elections

Richard Haass, US President George W Bush's envoy to Ireland, has called for the cancelled Northern Assembly elections to be held as soon as possible.

Mr Haass met Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble in Belfast last night and is due to hold talks with the other Northern parties today.

The US envoy said he hoped to assess the current situation in the North, to discuss possible solutions and to see what the US could do to maintain momentum in the peace process.

He said the Bush administration would favour holding elections as soon as possible and a speedy restoration of the suspended Northern institutions.