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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Urgent NI talks 'making progress' | Urgent NI talks 'making progress' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Prime Ministers Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen are making progress in mediating talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein, a Downing Street spokesman has said. | Prime Ministers Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen are making progress in mediating talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein, a Downing Street spokesman has said. |
| The two premiers travelled to Northern Ireland on Monday afternoon to try to break the deadlock over transferring justice powers from London to Belfast. | The two premiers travelled to Northern Ireland on Monday afternoon to try to break the deadlock over transferring justice powers from London to Belfast. |
| They arrived at Hillsborough Castle amid concerns that the power-sharing government at Stormont could collapse. | They arrived at Hillsborough Castle amid concerns that the power-sharing government at Stormont could collapse. |
| It is thought the talks will continue late into the night. | It is thought the talks will continue late into the night. |
| Mr Brown will stay at Hillsborough Castle overnight, with more talks expected to be held on Tuesday morning. | Mr Brown will stay at Hillsborough Castle overnight, with more talks expected to be held on Tuesday morning. |
| His spokesman said discussions were being held "in the right spirit", but added it was important to be "realistic". | His spokesman said discussions were being held "in the right spirit", but added it was important to be "realistic". |
| Taking a break from negotiations, Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly told waiting reporters: "The issues are well-known - we can have them sorted out very quickly." | Taking a break from negotiations, Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly told waiting reporters: "The issues are well-known - we can have them sorted out very quickly." |
| 'Contrived crisis' | 'Contrived crisis' |
| The leaders cannot agree over the transfer of police powers to Stormont | The leaders cannot agree over the transfer of police powers to Stormont |
| Speaking outside the talks, DUP MP Sammy Wilson said Sinn Fein had created this "contrived crisis". | Speaking outside the talks, DUP MP Sammy Wilson said Sinn Fein had created this "contrived crisis". |
| "Despite the way it has been handled, we are still open to resolving the outstanding issues," he said. | "Despite the way it has been handled, we are still open to resolving the outstanding issues," he said. |
| "It makes it darn more difficult in this atmosphere of crisis to get some kind of resolution - these things are much better done by people sitting down calmly, seeing where the problems are and what compromises can be made." | "It makes it darn more difficult in this atmosphere of crisis to get some kind of resolution - these things are much better done by people sitting down calmly, seeing where the problems are and what compromises can be made." |
| At this stage, the talks do not involve the other main political parties, the Ulster Unionist Party, the nationalist SDLP and the cross-community Alliance. | At this stage, the talks do not involve the other main political parties, the Ulster Unionist Party, the nationalist SDLP and the cross-community Alliance. |
| Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party - Northern Ireland's two biggest political parties - have been arguing for months over the transfer of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont. | Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party - Northern Ireland's two biggest political parties - have been arguing for months over the transfer of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont. |
| Sinn Fein want the completion of devolution to happen as soon as possible, but the DUP argue there must be unionist "community confidence" before powers are put in the hands of local politicians. | Sinn Fein want the completion of devolution to happen as soon as possible, but the DUP argue there must be unionist "community confidence" before powers are put in the hands of local politicians. |
| The "confidence" issue causing most division is over the handling of parades. | The "confidence" issue causing most division is over the handling of parades. |
| The DUP wants to scrap the Parades Commission, which puts conditions on some of the most contentious marches, but Sinn Fein has accused them of giving the Orange Order a talks veto. | The DUP wants to scrap the Parades Commission, which puts conditions on some of the most contentious marches, but Sinn Fein has accused them of giving the Orange Order a talks veto. |
| 'Endgame' | 'Endgame' |
| Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward said everyone necessary to bring the talks to a successful conclusion was there. | Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward said everyone necessary to bring the talks to a successful conclusion was there. |
| He said massive progress had been made over policing in the last year and the process was now at an "endgame". | He said massive progress had been made over policing in the last year and the process was now at an "endgame". |
| Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said the two governments were ready to help the parties. | Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said the two governments were ready to help the parties. |
| "We'll do what we can to bring these issues over the line," he said. | "We'll do what we can to bring these issues over the line," he said. |
| Talks between the two parties intensified in recent weeks, before collapsing in acrimony last week. | Talks between the two parties intensified in recent weeks, before collapsing in acrimony last week. |
| If Sinn Fein was to decide Martin McGuinness should resign as deputy first minister, the joint nature of the roles of first and deputy first ministers would mean that DUP leader Peter Robinson would also be forced out of office, collapsing the executive. | If Sinn Fein was to decide Martin McGuinness should resign as deputy first minister, the joint nature of the roles of first and deputy first ministers would mean that DUP leader Peter Robinson would also be forced out of office, collapsing the executive. |
| Before travelling to Northern Ireland, Gordon Brown told a Downing Street news conference: "We believe that the problems that exist in devolving policing and justice are all soluble problems." | Before travelling to Northern Ireland, Gordon Brown told a Downing Street news conference: "We believe that the problems that exist in devolving policing and justice are all soluble problems." |
| Brian Cowen said he was confident progress would be made, adding: "We believe that our going there should help bring a conclusion to the devolution issues." | Brian Cowen said he was confident progress would be made, adding: "We believe that our going there should help bring a conclusion to the devolution issues." |
| The Ulster Unionists and the nationalist SDLP have both called for the talks to be broadened to include all the parties rather than just the DUP and Sinn Fein. | The Ulster Unionists and the nationalist SDLP have both called for the talks to be broadened to include all the parties rather than just the DUP and Sinn Fein. |
| Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said: "We will not be prepared to accept a piece of paper if it was negotiated by others in our absence." | Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said: "We will not be prepared to accept a piece of paper if it was negotiated by others in our absence." |
| SDLP assembly member Conall McDevitt said it was important for all the parties to be involved, "otherwise what we will have is old IRA men and people with the best interests of the Orange Order and maybe not of all the people of Northern Ireland, trying to come to conclusions which ultimately will only serve a very narrow section of the community". | SDLP assembly member Conall McDevitt said it was important for all the parties to be involved, "otherwise what we will have is old IRA men and people with the best interests of the Orange Order and maybe not of all the people of Northern Ireland, trying to come to conclusions which ultimately will only serve a very narrow section of the community". |
| Alliance Party leader David Ford, who is thought to be a possible future justice minister, said it was "unfortunate but necessary" that the prime ministers had to intervene "because politicians here aren't grown up enough to take their own decisions". | Alliance Party leader David Ford, who is thought to be a possible future justice minister, said it was "unfortunate but necessary" that the prime ministers had to intervene "because politicians here aren't grown up enough to take their own decisions". |