UK-N Ireland talks end with no agreement

Belfast, December 12

British Prime Minister David Cameron left Northern Ireland today after marathon talks aimed at shoring up the province’s fractious unity government ended without a deal being struck.

Cameron was meeting with Irish counterpart Enda Kenny and the executive’s five parties amid differences over welfare reform and symbolically significant issues linked to Northern Ireland’s troubled past, like the holding of parades. But he left Stormont House early today saying that a failure to reach agreement meant London would not release $1.57 billion package to bolster the ailing finances of Northern Ireland’s government.

“We have made good progress overnight and today but a deal is not going to be possible today,” he said. The five parties are particularly divided over implementing Westminster reforms in the province, and over structural reform of its government. Belfast has already requested a 100 million pound emergency loan from London, and if a deal on welfare reform is not reached, it faces penalty of around 200 million pound.— AFP