David Ervine: no doubt that talks will begin

David Ervine on the talks with Tony Blair

Loyalists Confident After Blair Meeting

David Ervine of the Progressive Unionist Party and Gary McMichael of the Ulster Democratic Party were holding their first meeting with Tony Blair since the Labour leader became Prime Minister.

As they emerged from 10 Downing Street, Mr Ervine said he had no doubt that substantive talks on the future of the province would begin on September 15 as scheduled. He added that the "peace train" would leave without Sinn Fein if necessary.

Asked about the Government's telephone contacts with Sinn Fein, he said: "It does rather leave the Government wallowing in questions which should not need to be answered."

Gary McMichael: "You have to ask how much a community can take"

Both men said they had reassured Mr Blair that the loyalist ceasefire was still in place - for now. Mr McMichael added: "We are very reluctant to talk in threatening terms, but it gets to a point when you have to ask how much a community can take."

Meanwhile, bilateral talks on Northern Ireland resumed at Stormont on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the Government is expected to press ahead for agreement regarding its proposals for decommissioning paramilitary weapons.

However, the talks have been overshadowed by the row over Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam's disclosure, made on a BBC Radio Ulster phone-in Monday, that civil servants had taken three telephone calls from Sinn Fein.

In the House of Commons, Ms Mowlam was under pressure to make a statement. Ulster Unionist Ken Maginnis demanded to know if Government policy had changed, following Mr Blair's announcement on June 16 that contacts with Sinn Fein had been broken because of the IRA's killing of two RUC officers.

He was supported by former Cabinet Minister Douglas Hogg, who asked: "Should she not come to this House and make a statement to explain a possible error or alternatively to explain why there has been a change of policy?"

A spokesman for Ms Mowlam insisted there had been no policy change. "Sinn Fein telephoned to ask for clarification of an aide memoire - there have been no meetings," he said.

Meanwhile, President Clinton discussed the prospects for an IRA ceasefire with the new Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern in a telephone conversation. The President underlined his support to working with both the British and Irish governments in the pursuit of peace.