Ahern and Blair braced for peace bargaining

Bertie Ahern will today urge unionists and republicans to do the deal that transforms Northern Ireland’s deadlocked peace process.

With hopes of reviving devolution resting on these critical talks at Leeds Castle, Kent, the British Prime Minister and the Taoiseach are braced for tough bargaining with the political parties.

IRA disbandment and visual proof that the terrorist organisation is destroying its vast arsenal are being demanded by Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists before they consider going back into a power-sharing Executive with Sinn Féin.

“There will have to be complete decommissioning in a way that is transparent, conclusive and definitive,” a DUP spokesman insisted.

Canadian General John de Chastelain, head of the international disarmament body, has returned to Northern Ireland amid speculation of a big move on weapons.

But republican leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness want their own set of demands agreed to before they consider putting the plan to the IRA.

They are seeking British government pledges that the Stormont administration, shelved two years ago amid allegations of an IRA intelligence-gathering plot, will not be halted again to suit unionists.

Further troop cuts in Northern Ireland, an amnesty for fugitive Provisionals, more policing reforms and calls for an inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane will also be on the table.

Sinn Féin goes into the three-day talks claiming a series of meetings with British officials have failed to reach agreement on a number of the issues that would allow the focus to shift onto DUP demands.

Although Mr Adams has promised to show Mr Blair the bugging device found at party offices in west Belfast this week, his aides refused to confirm if the equipment has been transported successfully.

One senior adviser would say only: “It was and is our intention to present the British Prime Minister with his listening device.”

With Mr Blair and Mr Ahern not expected to join the negotiations until later today, Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy and the Foreign Minister Brian Cowen are expected to kick off the latest attempt to cement the six-year-old Good Friday Agreement.