US envoy bids to break North deadlock

US President George Bush’s Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, Richard Haass, was due in Belfast today to begin talks with the four main parties in a bid to help end the deadlock in the political process.

During his two-day visit, he is discussing the implications of last week’s Assembly election results and the prospects of restoring the powersharing administration.

It is likely to be Dr Haass’s final official visit to the province as he will leave his post at the end of the year.

An official from the US State Department will be appointed as his replacement.

Talks between London and Dublin and the parties are set to intensify amid efforts to break the political impasse.

Despite the emergence of the anti-Agreement Democratic Unionists as the largest party, Tony Blair said the majority of people wanted to see self government restored to the North.

“It is a more difficult situation, yes. But it is one that we will have to manage and we are used to managing difficult situations in Northern Ireland,” he said.

“What is interesting to me is that there is no sense that the political situation which needs resolving is going to lead to a security crisis,” he said.

The DUP, which is expected to meet Mr Blair before Christmas, has said it is prepared to enter into positive, constructive dialogue.

Deputy leader Peter Robinson said they looked forward to working with Mr Blair and others to bring about the change that the unionist electorate had voted for.

“We recognise it might take a little time for some people to acknowledge that there has been a swing in unionist opinion and that change is going to be necessary,” he added.

But the Ulster Unionists remain to be convinced that the DUP will engage in positive dialogue to end the political impasse.

A UUP spokesman said: “We will see what happens when they have to make tough decisions. It is likely they will just revert to type and run away.

“It will be interesting to see if they can prove us wrong.” The parties at Stormont were continuing to assess the implications of last week’s poll.

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams whose party emerged as the largest nationalist grouping with 24 seats, held talks with the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party Mark Durkan.

Mr Adams said the meeting was part of an effort to develop a co-ordinated approach to defending the Agreement.

“There is also an onus on the pro-Agreement parties to prepare for the Review to ensure that the principles, structures and ethos of the Agreement are protected and developed,” he added.

Mr Durkan emerged from the talks to call for a stronger axis among the pro-Agreement parties.

“The DUP have got the election result they wanted. Now they will use that result to try to justify their claim that the Agreement is a bust.

“People need to be clear that the DUP will not do business with the pro-Agreement parties to get the institutions up and running and to implement the Agreement.”