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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Prime Minister Brown on NI visit | Prime Minister Brown on NI visit |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown is making his first visit to Northern Ireland since taking over from Tony Blair at Downing Street. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown is making his first visit to Northern Ireland since taking over from Tony Blair at Downing Street. |
| He will meet Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and the leaders of the devolved UK governments at a summit of the British-Irish Council at Stormont. | He will meet Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and the leaders of the devolved UK governments at a summit of the British-Irish Council at Stormont. |
| Northern Ireland's executive ministers are expected to call again for a peace dividend at the meeting. | Northern Ireland's executive ministers are expected to call again for a peace dividend at the meeting. |
| Strategic transport links in Britain and Ireland will also be discussed. | Strategic transport links in Britain and Ireland will also be discussed. |
| The council is viewed by unionists as an important counter to the agreement's cross-border all-Ireland institutions. | The council is viewed by unionists as an important counter to the agreement's cross-border all-Ireland institutions. |
| Since its first meeting in the 1990s, nationalists have come into power in Scotland and Wales and the DUP and Sinn Fein are dominant in Northern Ireland. | Since its first meeting in the 1990s, nationalists have come into power in Scotland and Wales and the DUP and Sinn Fein are dominant in Northern Ireland. |
| 'Central role' | |
| BBC NI politicial editor Mark Devenport said: "As chancellor, Mr Brown played a central role in the negotiations which paved the way towards the restoration of devolution. | BBC NI politicial editor Mark Devenport said: "As chancellor, Mr Brown played a central role in the negotiations which paved the way towards the restoration of devolution. |
| "Those talks didn't produce as much as local politicians wanted. But they did lead to a delay in water charges. | "Those talks didn't produce as much as local politicians wanted. But they did lead to a delay in water charges. |
| "Today, executive ministers will renew their call for a peace dividend. They will also present a paper on strategic transport links throughout Britain and Ireland." | "Today, executive ministers will renew their call for a peace dividend. They will also present a paper on strategic transport links throughout Britain and Ireland." |
| The council brings together eight governments representing Westminster, Dublin, devolved nations, the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man. | The council brings together eight governments representing Westminster, Dublin, devolved nations, the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man. |
| On Tuesday, the North-South Ministerial Council meets in Armagh. Ministers will focus on co-operation over a new roads programme and on reopening another section of the Ulster Canal linking Upper Lough Erne with the Shannon. | |
| The establishment of a North-South Parliamentary Forum is also on the agenda. |