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| Blair warns NI parties must act | Blair warns NI parties must act |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Sinn Fein and the DUP need to honour their commitments on policing and power-sharing for an assembly election to happen, Tony Blair has warned. | Sinn Fein and the DUP need to honour their commitments on policing and power-sharing for an assembly election to happen, Tony Blair has warned. |
| Mr Blair came home a day early from holiday in Florida to try to revive hopes of devolution returning to Northern Ireland by the end of March. | |
| "I am confident that both parties want to see progress and will honour their commitments," he said. | "I am confident that both parties want to see progress and will honour their commitments," he said. |
| "But there is no point in proceeding unless there is such clarity." | "But there is no point in proceeding unless there is such clarity." |
| Mr Blair said that if Sinn Fein delivered on supporting the police, there should be devolution of justice by May 2008, as set out in the St Andrews Agreement. | |
| He said Sinn Fein would propose to a special conference on policing that the party "commit now and fully to support the PSNI and the criminal justice system and actively encourage everyone to co-operate fully with the police services in tackling crime in all areas as well as actively supporting all the criminal justice institutions". | |
| When there is delivery, there will be devolution Tony Blair Blair statement in full | |
| "For their part, the DUP require that the Sinn Fein commitments to support for the police, the courts and the rule of law are translated into action so that there is real and tangible evidence of such support. | |
| "It is delivery on those commitments that creates the conditions for devolution of policing and justice to take place. | |
| "When there is delivery, there will be devolution." | |
| Mr Blair said he was "confident that both parties want to see progress and will honour their commitments". | |
| "But there is no point in proceeding unless there is such clarity," he added. | |
| Sinn Fein's leadership voted last month to hold a conference on the issue of whether to support policing. | Sinn Fein's leadership voted last month to hold a conference on the issue of whether to support policing. |
| But the party signalled on Wednesday this was in doubt because the move had not received a "positive enough" response from DUP leader Ian Paisley. | |
| Policing has been a dividing issue between the DUP and Sinn Fein If the conference does not go ahead, the March election may be in doubt. | Policing has been a dividing issue between the DUP and Sinn Fein If the conference does not go ahead, the March election may be in doubt. |
| Although Mr Blair was away on his Christmas and New Year break, he was involved in intensive discussions with Northern Ireland politicians. | Although Mr Blair was away on his Christmas and New Year break, he was involved in intensive discussions with Northern Ireland politicians. |
| More than two-thirds of Sinn Fein's executive last week voted in favour of holding a conference on the issue of supporting policing. | More than two-thirds of Sinn Fein's executive last week voted in favour of holding a conference on the issue of supporting policing. |
| Party leader Gerry Adams said the meeting would be held, but only if the two governments and the DUP gave a positive response. | Party leader Gerry Adams said the meeting would be held, but only if the two governments and the DUP gave a positive response. |
| In his new year message, DUP leader Ian Paisley said Sinn Fein's "begrudging movement" on policing reduced the prospect of any immediate action towards restoring devolution. | In his new year message, DUP leader Ian Paisley said Sinn Fein's "begrudging movement" on policing reduced the prospect of any immediate action towards restoring devolution. |
| However, Mr Paisley said his party would "not be found wanting" if Sinn Fein honoured its commitment "with actions". | However, Mr Paisley said his party would "not be found wanting" if Sinn Fein honoured its commitment "with actions". |