Northern Ireland crisis talks: Ulster Unionists angry over agenda

The DUP has described the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Mike Nesbitt as "the master of hokey cokey politics"

The Ulster Unionist Party has said it will not return to talks on Wednesday unless the Provisional IRA's existence is the first item on the agenda.

A fresh round of cross-party talks to resolve the crisis, sparked by the murder of a former IRA member, have ended for the evening.

Police said last month they believe IRA members may have been involved in the shooting of Kevin McGuigan Sr.

Sinn Féin has denied this and maintains the Provisional IRA no longer exists.

Tuesday's talks lasted about two hours.

'Appalling'

Afterwards, Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt said whether or not the Provisional IRA still exists "is the issue and the only issue that we will speak on".

"We will consider going into the session which deals with the IRA. We will consider it, but we need to see the papers and the terms of engagement," he said.

"The fact that no other party supported us and said 'let's change this proposed agenda, forget the Stormont House Agreement until we resolve the issue of Sinn Fêin being in denial about the IRA' is frankly appalling."

First Minister and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Peter Robinson said the talks were extremely important.

'Hokey cokey'

"If the assembly and executive falls we are probably talking about the best part of a decade before it would ever be revived," he said.

His party colleague, Arlene Foster called Mr Nesbitt "the master of hokey cokey politics".

"One day Mike Nesbitt is in the executive and the next day he's out. One day he's in the talks and the next day he's out," she said.

Earlier, Secretary of State Theresa Villiers told MPs she did not believe the time was right to suspend the devolved institutions.

However, she said she would keep the option open if circumstances changed dramatically.

She said there were two issues creating instability - continued paramilitary activity and the failure to implement the Stormont House Agreement.

On his way into the talks, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said any decision about suspending Stormont would be "beyond Ms Villiers' pay grade".

'No quick fixes'

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the secretary of state's comments contrasted with a recent conversation he had with the prime minister, in which David Cameron did not indicate he was ready to suspend Stormont.

Alliance leader David Ford said his party did not want any quick fixes, but a resolution of Stormont's longer-term problems.

Last week, Alliance supported a DUP request for a voluntary adjournment of the Stormont assembly to create space for negotiations.

However, Mr Ford said that in the light of the DUP blocking executive meetings, his party would not support any more adjournment motions.

The Ulster Unionists also released a paper calling for £20-£25m of what they described as unspent legacy funding to be diverted towards mental health care. The UUP argued this could help ease Stormont's financial impasse.

'Disappointment'

The talks are also being attended by Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan.

On his way in he expressed disappointment about what he described as the British governments unilateral action in indicating it will impose welfare reform if there is no agreement.

However, Mr Flanagan said he understood this would only be a last resort and hoped the talks would be successful making welfare legislation via Westminster unnecessary.

The current talks are expected to last four to six weeks.