The Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, said yesterday that he hoped a decision on Canadian judge Peter Cory's report into controversial killings in Northern Ireland would be made by the end of the year.
Judge Cory has reportedly recommended that the British and Irish Governments establish inquiries into separate allegations of British security force and Garda collusion in several high-profile killings.
In an interview in New York, Mr Murphy said that Judge Cory would come to London and Dublin next week to discuss his reports with the governments, and "as soon as possible after that we'd want to make them public."
He said that families were anxious to know what was in the reports and he didn't want any unnecessary delay, but they would have to examine the implications in terms of criminal proceedings or if people named faced a threat to their lives.
Asked if a decision on the report might slip into the new year, Mr Murphy said: "I would hope not."
Judge Cory is believed to have recommended inquiries into allegations of British security force or Garda collusion in eight murder cases, including those of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane, LVF leader Billy Wright and RUC officers Harry Breen and Bob Buchanan. The former Canadian Supreme Court judge delivered four completed reports to the British government and two to the Government in Dublin on October 7th.
Asked about cost concerns in the light of the escalating bill for the Bloody Sunday inquiry, Mr Murphy acknowledged "some talk" about the cost and the length of the Derry inquiry, but said "at the end of the day it's about getting the truth out, both governments are committed that there shouldn't be any cover-up."
The NI Secretary arrived in New York from Ottowa, where he met the Canadian Prime Minister Mr Jean Chretien and thanked him for the Canadian role in the peace process.
Yesterday he met US special envoy to Northern Ireland Mr Richard Haass in New York and travelled to Washington for a series of meeting with senior legislators, including Senators Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton and Chris Dodd, and members of the US administration.