McGuinness: Tight lipped

Talks With Sinn Fein to Continue

A delegation led by Sinn Fein chief negotiator Martin McGuinness spent three-and-a-half hours in discussion with officials at Stormont Castle, but gave nothing away about whether progress had been made.

"We reaffirmed Sinn Fein's right to be treated on the same basis as all the other parties and we have agreed to meet again," said delegation member Caoimhghin O Caolain, a Monaghan county councillor who is running for Sinn Fein in the Irish General Election.

The first round of talks was held last Wednesday, the day of local elections in Northern Ireland which saw Sinn Fein increase its share of the vote markedly amid accusations of ballot-rigging.

The Government has opened channels of discussion in the hope of tying Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA, down to a pledge to renounce violence. On the other hand, Sinn Fein will be looking for concessions from the Government over its entry into peace talks.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Political Development Minister Paul Murphy had a series of meetings with the main constitutional parties in Ulster.

He met the Rev Ian Paisley and colleagues from the Democratic Unionist Party, John Hume and the SDLP and rounded off with discussions with David Trimble and the Ulster Unionist Party.

The talks were held in advance of the resumption of the multi-party talks at Stormont next week.

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