The Irish and British governments will draw up a final package of measures aimed at saving the Belfast Agreement, after negotiations in the English midlands ended today without a deal.
No more negotiations will take place between the parties after six days of intensive talks.
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on behalf of the two governments the British prime minister Mr Tony Blair said they would be recommending the package be accepted by all pro-agreement parties in the hope it will solve the outstanding issues - decommissioning, policing, demilitarisation and the stability of the institutions.
Although the Weston Park talks failed to result in a deal both Mr Blair and the Taoiseach Mr Ahern were in upbeat mood speaking at a joint press conference afterwards.
Mr Ahern said the talks had been a "great success" in terms of negotiations and the proposals they would present to the parties were and "excellent package".
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Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams (left)
and the party's chief negotiator Mr Martin McGuinness speaking after the talks today. Photographs: Reuters |
Saying "immense progress" had been made Mr Blair said: "We believe the time for negotiating is through, we are confident we can put through a package for parties to accept or not."
"We are not coming to you today and saying all this is done. It is not. But it can be done," he added.
Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams said he would welcome receiving the package of measures.
"There is a hope out there and which was not there a decade or more ago, so I certainly hope they will bring back a package, and not just a package but a package that can deliver the Good Friday Agreement", he added.
SDLP leader Mr John Hume said "considerable disappointment" was natural, given the failure to deliver the Agreement in full.
There had been progress on policing and while there were issues standing in the way of creating a force supported by both sides, "that goal can now be reached", he said.
The Ulster Unionist Party leader Mr David Trimble left the talks early saying there was no agreement at this stage. He blamed the deadlock on republicans' refusal to compromise on decommissioning.
Earlier Mr Trimble said if no concessions on IRA arms were made by Sinn Féin by lunchtime today, suspension would almost certainly follow.
Political institutions in the North will be suspended or new elections must take place if no deal is struck by August 12th.
Leaving the talks Mr Trimble said it was republicans' "inescapable duty" to ensure that IRA weapons were put beyond use. This, he said, was a "basis requirement".
additonal reporting PA
