North peace talks end amid 'disappointment and anger'

Former Deputy First Minister Mr Séamus Mallon of the SDLP said there was "grave disappointment and a great deal of anger", as…

Talks to rescue the Belfast Agreement have ended this evening without any progress. They will resume on Friday to allow Unionists attend July 12th commemorations in the North.

Former Deputy First Minister Mr Séamus Mallon of the SDLP said there was "grave disappointment and a great deal of anger", as he left the talks in Weston Park in Stafordshire.

British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blairsaid: "We are going to work with complete determination, and some hope, that we can find a way through."

He acknowledged that there were still "substantial areas of disagreement and difficulty" in the talks.

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Earlier the Ulster Unionist Party leader Mr David Trimble left the negotiations to attend another engagement.

The final remaining member of the UUP delegation, Sir Reg Empey, left shortly before 2.30 pm.

David Trimble
The Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, left the talks this morning

Even though the British prime minister Mr Tony Blair had made provisions to miss questions in the House of Commons, participants were expecting the negotiations to break upthis afternoon without a breakthrough on the issues of decommissioning, policing, demilitarisation and the full operation of the political institutions.

The parties believe the talks will be resumed on Friday to allow unionists to take part in tomorrow's Orange Order commemorations in the North.

The mood inside Weston Park was described as "grim" by sources, with some expressing frustration at the lack of movement from republicans on the issue of IRA weapons.

One Ulster Unionist said: "There are a lot of long faces around this place this morning.

"People are still waiting for movement from republicans on the weapons issue but there doesn't seem to be any give.

An SDLP source described the negotiations as "deeply frustrating".

Both sources said the Ulster Freedom Fighters' decision to retract support from the agreement and the PUP's withdrawal from the talks had added to sense of despondency.

PA