Ministers agree deal to kick-start peace process

The Irish and British governments today agreed to press forward with the implementation of all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement which lie within their power to deliver.

Following three and a half hours of talks in London, Northern Ireland secretary Paul Murphy and Foreign Minister Brian Cowen announced that a mechanism would be put in place to implement those parts of the agreement not dependent on other parties’ “acts of completion” – code for paramilitary disarmament.