Blair to meet Adams at Downing Street

British Prime Minister Tony Blair will today hold his first meeting with Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams since the IRA’s declaration that it is ending its armed campaign.

The meeting will take place after Mr Blair has also met the Democratic Unionist leader, Ian Paisley, whose party has been angered by moves to scale down the military presence in Northern Ireland on the back of last Thursday’s IRA announcement.

At a meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain in London yesterday, the DUP warned that the return of the Northern Ireland Assembly could be delayed by two years if it was unhappy with the response to the republican move.

Unionists have been furious about the pace of demilitarisation moves in the North, claiming they have been authorised before the IRA has even honoured its word to disarm and end its armed campaign.

They were also infuriated by the failure to consult unionist leaders over the proposed disbandment of the Northern Ireland-based battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment.

After yesterday’s meeting Mr Paisley said: “We told them that the majority of the people of Northern Ireland are very angry.”

Mr Hain had been hoping to begin talks with the Northern Ireland parties in the autumn but the DUP is believed to be unwilling to participate.

The party has also expressed concern at the failure to reconstitute Northern Ireland’s Policing Board and has queried a number of recent appointments to the North’s Equality and Human Rights Commissions.

Sinn Féin is expected to press Mr Blair to sweep aside the DUP’s objections to moves implementing the Good Friday Agreement and other pledges made in talks since then.

Assembly member Alex Maskey said Sinn Féin was keen to see the Good Friday Agreement implemented and power-sharing government restored as quickly as possible.

“Even the DUP must now accept that the only situation in which they will have executive power will be in the Good Friday Agreement institutions alongside Sinn Féin,” the South Belfast MLA said.

His party leader Mr Adams was expected to be joined at today’s meeting in Downing Street by Sinn Féin chief negotiator Martin McGuinness, Assembly member Caitriona Ruane and Dublin MEP Mary Lou McDonald.