Plenary sessions of the multiparty talks at Stormont later this month could be televised so that they could be seen to be "an inclusive people's process", the Alliance Party leader, Lord Alderdice, said yesterday. Speaking after a 35-minute meeting with the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, at Downing Street, Lord Alderdice said it was important that politicians did not monopolise the talks, but sought to include the people in the process. He added: "We need an inclusive people's process. This might include televising plenary sessions of the talks, for example."
The meeting was arranged before the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Downing Street later gave few details of the discussion, describing it as "part of the ongoing briefings on all sides". A Downing Street spokesman commented: "We are keeping all details of all meetings to the barest minimum."
However, with the talks due to begin in earnest on September 15th, Lord Alderdice sounded a note of pessimism. He said there was "little" to suggest that agreement in the talks was more likely if the negotiations were held behind closed door than if they were held in open sessions.