LONDON will be the venue today for an intensive round of meetings between Sir Patrick Mayhew and the leaders of the two main unionist parties.
The Northern Secretary will hold separate talks with the Democratic Unionist Party leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, and the Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble. Sir Patrick is also scheduled to meet the Independent North Down MP, Mr Robert McCartney.
Mr Trimble and Sir Patrick held a private meeting in London last night, apparently designed to "clear the air" after last week's row about alleged events preceding the Commons vote on the Scott report. Mr Trimble let it be known in advance he was seeking an apology from Sir Patrick for ministerial press briefings alleging the UUP had offered support to the government in return for a "clandestine deal" on the form of elective process to be used in the North as a route to all party negotiations.
Today's talks will concentrate again on the substantive differences between the UUP proposal for a constituency based election to a 90 member forum, and the DUP plan for a single constituency poll providing an index of party support
Senior UUP members believe agreement between the parties is unlikely, and that the form of elected body and method of election will ultimately be a matter for Mr Major's judgment. And while Mr Trimble has signalled his willingness to meet the Irish Government during the present phase of consultations, the signs are that the UUP is concentrating its effort on mobilising back bench Conservative support behind its preferred option.
Meanwhile, Mr Gary McMichael of the Ulster Democratic Party has confirmed his preference for a single constituency election, while Mr David Ervine of the Progressive Unionist Party has said he remains to be persuaded by the larger unionist parties.
Mr McMichael and Mr Ervine were speaking at a Westminster press conference yesterday hosted by the Liberal Democrat leader, Mr Paddy Ashdown, and the party's Irish affairs spokesman, Lord Holme.
The unprecedented event was staged to pay tribute to what Lord Holme termed the "outstandingly constructive" role played by the two loyalist parties prior to, and since, the inauguration of the loyalist ceasefire. Lord Holme said the two groups had set an example to the two main unionist parties.
Mr Ashdown echoed Mr Ervine's view that "we must not allow this agenda to be run by the IRA". And while he said it would be "a tragedy" if the peace process became entangled in the parliamentary arithmetic at Westminster, Mr Ashdown said he ha&no doubt Mr Major's conduct reflected his sincere commitment to the process.
Mr Ervine said "We will always end up dealing with our problems politically. There is only a political settlement to our terrible troubles". And he declared "Unionism is learning that it must not do what its enemies want them to do". And in a clear challenge to the IRA, Mr McMichael added "We are reaffirming our commitment to live up to our responsibilities."
Lord Holme said Northern Ireland needed "leadership and not follower ship" and that the UDP and the PUP had shown that in moving the situation forward.
After meeting Mr Ashdown the leaders of the two fringe parties warned of "serious difficulties" in preventing a return to violence by the Protestant paramilitaries, saying that so far " sincere restraint" had been shown in the face of IRA provocation".