Blair and Ahern meet as NI tensions rise

Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern will meet today to consider the future of the Northern Ireland peace process.

Their meeting in London under the auspices of the British Irish Ministerial Council take place as London and Dublin await the IRA’s response to Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams’ call to declare themselves to totally peaceful and democratic means.

Mr Ahern said recently that it could be August before an answer is forthcoming.

The Blair-Ahern talks come as unionist anger over parading boils over as the height of the loyalist marching season approaches, and amid fury over the Parades Commission ruling on Saturday’s annual Whiterock parade in North Belfast not following its traditional route.

Being told they could not walk along some 100 metres of the nationalist Springfield Road led Orange organisers to postpone the parade and to hold a protest parade in the loyalist Shankill Road area instead.

The Democratic Unionist party is meeting Northern Ireland Office ministers this week to discuss the parades issue, warning that feelings are running high in the community.

Equally newly-elected Ulster Unionist leader Reg Empey said last night he intended to push the parades issue to the top of the political agenda.

“This issue cannot be left outside any overall political settlement,” he said.

He said last year that the Parades Commission had managed to alienate themselves from the very people they sought to do business with, and there was no difference this year.

“The Parades Commission, by their actions have, whether advertently or inadvertently, created more problems, antagonised members of the Orange Order and created confusion and mis-trust over what constitutes a legal or illegal parade.”