Stormont crisis: Unionists 'await government response'

The future of Northern Ireland's devolved government at Stormont is in doubt following a row over allegations the IRA was involved in a murder

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers has held discussions with the five main parties in Belfast.

But the two unionist parties warned they will not commit to all-party talks until they hear from the British government.

The DUP and the Ulster Unionists have laid down pre-conditions before they will agree to round table talks.

Sinn Féin have warned that if a resolution cannot be found, an assembly election should now be called.

On Monday evening, Ms Villiers said "We need urgently to find a way forward so that intensive and focused talks can take place that lead to the full implementation of the Stormont House Agreement and address issues arising out of continued activity by paramilitary organisations.

"All the parties I saw today agree that if the devolved institutions are to retain credibility and function effectively, these are the most urgent questions to resolve."

DUP leader Peter Robinson said the government knew his party's position

The DUP and the Ulster Unionists are waiting to hear Ms Villiers' address to the House of Commons on Tuesday before they will commit to round table discussions with the other parties.

Sinn Féin have warned that there should no preconditions.

Martin McGuinness, Sinn Féin, said if talks failed, an election was the next "logical step".

Following the DUP's meeting with Ms Villiers on Monday, Mr Robinson was asked if his party wanted the government to commit to reviving an Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) on paramilitary activity.

The IMC was set up in 2004 to monitor paramilitary activity and the normalisation of security measures in Northern Ireland. It stopped work officially in March 2011.

He said there was little point in holding confidential discussions if he was then going to set out his criteria in public.

The story of Stormont's crisis

• Stormont's political upheaval was sparked by allegations that Provisional IRA members were involved in the murder of Kevin McGuigan Sr

• Row erupted after a senior Sinn Féin member was arrested as part of the inquiry into Mr McGuigan's death. He was later released without charge.

• Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson stepped aside; all but one of his Democratic Unionist Party ministers resigned

• Finance Minister Arlene Foster is now acting first minister

Read more on how the crisis unfolded

Previously, the DUP stated it had six demands concerning paramilitary activity, but it declined to spell out the points in detail.

Mr Robinson said: "We will listen to what the government has to say and we will reach conclusions as a party after that."

Mr McGuinness said there should be no preconditions in relation to the talks.

"I think it is very important that, as we face into the challenges, people recognise that there really only are two choices and those are talks [with] a successful outcome, or elections," he said.

"I think that is a stark choice that is facing all of the parties in this process."

Martin McGuinness, left, of Sinn Féin said if the talks fail the "next logical step" is an election

Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt said Sinn Féin's continual denial of the IRA's existence would "kill or cure" devolution in Northern Ireland.

Alex Attwood of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) said this week was a "big test for all the political parties, but it is an even bigger test for the two governments".

Alliance leader David Ford said people needed "institutions that worked", but that some parties at Stormont were involved in "silly games".

As politicians met Ms Villiers, they were lobbied by women whose loved ones were killed in the Troubles.

Linda Nash's brother, William, was among 13 people who died after members of the British Army's Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights marchers in the Bogside area of Londonderry on 30 January 1972.

Women whose relatives died in the Troubles confront the SDLP outside the talks

She said she and others were worried that politicians were about to grant an amnesty to those responsible for their relatives' deaths.

That would be "too hard a pill to swallow," she said.

Previous talks broke up last week after Mr Robinson stood aside as first minister of Northern Ireland.

His move, and the resignation of three DUP ministers, followed a police assertion that IRA members were involved in a murder.