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| Power-sharing in 2007 - Donaldson | Power-sharing in 2007 - Donaldson |
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| A deal that brings about power-sharing between the DUP and Sinn Fein will be achieved in 2007, DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson has said. | A deal that brings about power-sharing between the DUP and Sinn Fein will be achieved in 2007, DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson has said. |
| Mr Donaldson said he was optimistic agreement would be reached on policing and a power sharing executive would be established at Stormont. | Mr Donaldson said he was optimistic agreement would be reached on policing and a power sharing executive would be established at Stormont. |
| Sinn Fein members are to meet next week to discuss whether to move forward with a special conference on policing. | Sinn Fein members are to meet next week to discuss whether to move forward with a special conference on policing. |
| Republicans are concerned about "a lack of a positive response from the DUP". | Republicans are concerned about "a lack of a positive response from the DUP". |
| On Friday, Secretary of State Peter Hain said Northern Ireland's political impasse could be overcome if Sinn Fein "delivered on policing". | |
| Mr Hain said there was "every prospect" that the devolution of policing would be on track by May 2008. | |
| 'Work together' | |
| Mr Donaldson, the Lagan Valley MP, told Irish state broadcaster RTE that he was optimistic an agreement would be reached. | |
| "I think it will happen in 2007 I would be fairly optimistic about that and clearly there are difficulties at the moment. The sooner we can get to that point the sooner we will all be able to move on," he said. | |
| "There is a huge agenda in Northern Ireland to address at a socio-economic level, there is so much that wecan work on here and indeed work together on and lets get down to that job." | |
| On Thursday, Tony Blair warned the DUP and Sinn Fein that commitments on policing and power-sharing must be honoured for an election to happen. | |
| DUP leader Ian Paisley has said his party is willing to make progress but that "upfront delivery is required from Sinn Fein" on policing. | |
| Tony Blair returned home from holiday early for talks | |
| However, DUP MEP Jim Allister said on Friday he could not foresee a time when policing and justice could be devolved to an Assembly. | |
| 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. | |
| If Sinn Fein's conference does not go ahead, the March assembly election may be in doubt. |