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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| PMs to broker overnight NI talks | PMs to broker overnight NI talks |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen are continuing to broker talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein to avert the collapse of Stormont's power-sharing government. | Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen are continuing to broker talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein to avert the collapse of Stormont's power-sharing government. |
| The British and Irish premiers travelled to Belfast on Monday to try to break the deadlock over transferring justice powers from London to Belfast. | The British and Irish premiers travelled to Belfast on Monday to try to break the deadlock over transferring justice powers from London to Belfast. |
| The talks at Hillsborough Castle are set to continue throughout the night. | The talks at Hillsborough Castle are set to continue throughout the night. |
| Rather than holding direct talks, the parties have been holding separate meetings with the two governments. | Rather than holding direct talks, the parties have been holding separate meetings with the two governments. |
| Mr Brown has postponed Tuesday's cabinet meeting until later in the week, and more talks are expected to be held in the morning. | Mr Brown has postponed Tuesday's cabinet meeting until later in the week, and more talks are expected to be held in the morning. |
| ANALYSIS Mark Simpson, BBC Ireland correspondent | ANALYSIS Mark Simpson, BBC Ireland correspondent |
| There's no prospect of a return to full-scale violence, but there is a full-scale political crisis. | There's no prospect of a return to full-scale violence, but there is a full-scale political crisis. |
| The arrival in Northern Ireland of the two prime ministers is a sure sign that trouble is brewing. The blunt reality is there's no sign yet of any progress being made in the talks. | The arrival in Northern Ireland of the two prime ministers is a sure sign that trouble is brewing. The blunt reality is there's no sign yet of any progress being made in the talks. |
| The equation is pretty simple - no deal means no devolution. | The equation is pretty simple - no deal means no devolution. |
| If these talks don't succeed, it's difficult to see how the Stormont Assembly will survive. class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8479035.stm">Q&A: Breakthrough or breakdown? | |
| The two prime ministers arrived at Hillsborough Castle amid concerns that the power-sharing government at Stormont could collapse. | The two prime ministers arrived at Hillsborough Castle amid concerns that the power-sharing government at Stormont could collapse. |
| The Ulster Unionists joined the talks on Monday evening, and the nationalist SDLP is also expected to take part on Tuesday. | The Ulster Unionists joined the talks on Monday evening, and the nationalist SDLP is also expected to take part on Tuesday. |
| 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' |
| Speaking outside the talks, DUP MP Sammy Wilson said Sinn Fein had created a "contrived crisis". | Speaking outside the talks, DUP MP Sammy Wilson said Sinn Fein had created a "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." |
| 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. |
| Sammy Wilson, DUP: "This is a contrived crisis" | Sammy Wilson, DUP: "This is a contrived crisis" |
| 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 massive progress had been made over policing in the last year and the process was now at an "endgame". | Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward 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. |
| The leaders cannot agree over the transfer of police powers to Stormont | The leaders cannot agree over the transfer of police powers to Stormont |
| "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." |