'Glitch' can be resolved, insists Blair

British Prime Minister Tony Blair tonight described the sudden problem to hit the peace process as a “glitch” which he was confident could be resolved.

Speaking at a brief news conference at Hillsborough Castle he said it would take a little time to work through.

He added: “We are very, very close to what I think would be a quite historic day for Northern Ireland.”

Mr Blair said the situation was that effectively “virtually everything” was agreed.

But he added: “However there is an issue that has arisen which is to do with the act of decommissioning and the decommissioning process that took place earlier today.

“The Unionist Party want to have a far greater degree of particularity as to what was actually put beyond use in order to make a judgment that it was indeed a substantial act of decommissioning – and also some clarity about the future process in respect of decommissioning.”

Mr Blair added: “I have a belief that we can find a way through this but it is going to take us a little time to do that.”