Blair to meet Paisley and Adams for talks on devolution

British Prime Minister Tony Blair is due to meet the leaders of the DUP and Sinn Féin today to discuss the planned restoration of power-sharing in the North in 12 days' time.

The meeting comes amid ongoing uncertainty over whether Ian Paisley is willing to enter government with republicans by the March 26th deadline set down by the British government.

Paisley gave a positive assessment after talks with Northern Secretary Peter Hain yesterday, but did not commit himself to any power-sharing arrangement.

The DUP has already suggested that the March 26 deadline is not set in stone.

However, the British government is adamant that devolution will be scrapped and Northern politicians will stop getting paid if there is no power-sharing executive by then.