NI peace talks at critical stage
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Northern Ireland peace talks were on a knife-edge on Monday after a dramatic Downing Street meeting between Northern Ireland's police chief and Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.
The pair met for just over two hours, along with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, as the republican leadership pushed for commitments by security chiefs that they will remove Army look-out posts and other military apparatus.
It is one of the key demands at the centre of tense negotiations to try to hammer out an agreement which can get the power sharing executive and Assembly back up and running again in Belfast.
Adams' meeting with Chief Constable Hugh Orde was the first time Sinn Fein has had face-to-face talks with the head of the police service in Northern Ireland.
It took place as the Reverend Ian Paisley had talks with the head of the international disarmament commission, General John de Chastelain in Belfast.
Blair was reluctant to make any substantial comment at his monthly press conference for fear of scuppering a possible deal later this week.
"I think we are obviously at a very intensive stage now," he said.
"I think the best thing for me is to say very little to you because we have been so many times before where hopes have been raised and then they have been dashed that I am almost fearful of raising them.
"It's obvious that people would like to get a deal done. Whether that is possible or not, the next few days will tell us but I don't think there is probably anything I can very sensibly say to you at the moment."
Speaking after the meeting, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said: "There was good work done today. Let's continue to do good work."
Sinn Fein is a party linked to the Irish Republican Army.
Establishing a power-sharing government between Protestants and Catholics for Northern Ireland was part of the 1998 Good Friday peace accords, which largely ended three decades of violence between the groups.
The power-sharing goal fell apart more than two years ago because hardline Protestants refused to keep working with Sinn Fein.
U.S. President George W. Bush told reporters Friday that he was ready to help with the peace process.
The president said he called key Protestant leader, Ian Paisley, last week and told him he wants the two sides to come together and accept an agreement put forward by British and Irish governments in order to "get a deal done."
"The primary movers are Prime Minister Blair and (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern of Ireland, who have been working diligently on this," Bush said. "I appreciate their efforts, and anything I can do to help keep the process moving forward, I am willing to do so."
Bush has also talked with Adams.
