Blair to meet Adams for crisis talks

Crucial talks between British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams will take place tomorrow, following the release of a report which threatened to expose senior members of Sinn Féin in Provisional IRA leadership roles.

The meeting was also confirmed after Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy revealed plans to resume talks on the future of the Good Friday Agreement.

Sinn Féin said Mr Adams would lead a delegation which would meet the British prime minister on Friday and was also expected to meet Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in Dublin next week.

Former Stormont Health Minister Bairbre de Brun said the party was keen to explore how both governments intended to repair the damage caused to the political process in the wake of the report by the former Independent Monitoring Commission.

The West Belfast MLA said: “The ad hoc approach of the two governments to this process and their failure to honour commitments has created the current crisis.

“This bad situation was made worse by Tuesday’s developments.

“We will be asking Mr Blair what plan he has to repair the situation and get back to the Good Friday Agreement.”

The British prime minister met nationalist SDLP leader Mark Durkan yesterday.

The Foyle Assembly member described the meeting as “good”.

The IMC report, he said, had put the actions of paramilitaries on both sides, loyalist and republican, under the spotlight.

The IMC’s report also recommended that in the absence of devolution, fines should be imposed on parties like Sinn Féin and the Progressive Unionists who are linked to active republican and loyalist organisations.

The plan to fine Sinn Féin and the PUP has, however, been dubbed “a murder tax” by Democratic Unionist leader, the Rev Ian Paisley.