Hope for Ulster breakthrough
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.TONY BLAIR was hoping for a breakthrough in the Northern Ireland peace talks last night as all the party leaders agreed to new proposals on decommissioning and the establishment of the Assembly, writes Rachel Sylvester.
However the plan suffered an early setback when the Ulster Unionists members failed to endorse it.
The Prime Minister set a new deadline of 30 June for the deadlock to be resolved, after David Trimble, the Ulster Unionist leader, Gerry Adams, the Sinn Fein leader, and John Hume, the SDLP leader, presented a package of measures involving compromises on all sides to their parties. The proposals agreed at Downing Street last week, would mean all 10 ministers for a future executive being appointed as "ministers designate" shortly. Sir John de Chastelain, who is overseeing the handover of paramilitary weapons,would also produce a report on decommisioning.
A Downing Street source said all the parties would also have to recommit themselves to making all parts of the Good Friday Agreement work, including specifically the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons.
Mr Blair said the deadline was "absolute".
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments