Mr Trimble wants "clarifications"

Unionists Harden Position on Decommissioning

Mr Trimble's meeting with Tony Blair at Downing Street followed Wednesday's walk-out by unionist parties from the multi-party talks in Belfast.

A few weeks ago the Ulster Unionists indicated they might accept the Government's proposal that Sinn Fein could enter the talks, provided there is a new IRA ceasefire. The decommissioning of paramilitary weapons was to take place in parallel with the peace talks.

After the meeting, Mr Trimble said he could not agree to the Prime Minister's peace proposals until Mr Blair clarified what the decommissioning of "terrorist weapons" would entail. The Prime Minister had to understand "that the present position is not accetable to the Ulster Unionst Party".

A Downing Street spokesman said the meeting with the Ulster Unionists had been "long, detailed, useful and constructive".

IRA Says "No" to Decommissioning Before Final Settlement

A senior Sinn Fein official, Gerry OhEara, said in Belfast that his party was prepared to discuss decommissioning of weapons in parallel to talks, but that there would be no handover during the negotiations.

According to Mr OhEara the "IRA are actually saying there won't be any guns handed over until there is a lasting settlement", and he pointed out that loyalist paramilitary groups like the UVF and UDA are "saying the same thing".

Sinn Fein's statement will make it more difficult for the Government to calm fears of Unionist politicians who are concerned that the Government is trying to fudge the issue to get republicans into talks and that actual decommissioning will be delayed.

Other Unionists Demand Blair Meeting As Well

Robinson: "proposals favour IRA"

Mr Robinson said it was clear the Government plan, which the DUP would not accept, was that "the IRA don't have to hand over any weaponry at all until the IRA are satisfied that, from their point of view, some progress has been made in the talks".

The speed with which Mr Blair has agreed to meet Mr Trimble is an indication of his concern that the Government talks timetable is kept as he is determined to get agreement on decommissioning by next week and start substantive negotiations in September after a summer recess.

The Alliance Party leader Lord Alderdice warned the Unionists they were getting themselves into a mess over decommissioning. "They are saying we can't go on and talk about anything substantive while Sinn Fein are outside because they might come in - but on the other hand if Sinn Fein come in we can't talk about anything substantive because they are in," he said.