THE Taoiseach expressed cautious optimism that the Irish and British governments would resolve their differences surrounding the all party talks on the North.

"It is not inappropriate to draw attention to the fact that a great deal of issues have already been agreed between us and it gives grounds for some degree of optimism that remaining problems will be overcome," Mr Bruton said.

The Taoiseach was answering questions in the Dail at the same time as the Tanaiste, Mr Spring was meeting the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, at Iveagh House. "It is important to make the point," Mr Bruton said "that we have reached a very large measure of agreement on a very large range of issues with the British government in the lead up to the talks, both in terms of setting the date and the ground rules.

Asked by the PD leader, Ms Mary Harney, if he was to meet Mr John Major, the Taoiseach said he was keeping in almost hourly contact with the process and progress of discussions. To date, he had had several conversations with the British Prime Minister, and he was ready to have more, either by telephone or face to face, as and when necessary. "It is possible for the prime minister and I to meet at comparatively short notice, if that is needed."

On decommissioning, the Taoiseach told the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, that the Government wanted it addressed in accordance with the Mitchell report. Paragraph 34 stated that the parties should consider an approach under which topic decommissioning would take place during the process of all party negotiations rather than before or after.

"It is a question of consideration that is in question here, nothing more or less than that.

Thanking the Taoiseach for his clarification, Mr Ahern said it was important in the present circumstances that what was involved was a consideration and not a defacto decommissioning of arms. "We would all like to see that happen tomorrow, if that was possible. But in the negotiations with Sir Patrick Mayhew it is not the Irish position."

Earlier, Mr Bruton said that, given the elections taking place in the North this week, it would not be helpful for him to give a great deal of detail about recent meetings or the consultations currently taking place.

While appreciating this, Ms Harney said that the Anglo Irish Conference was going ahead, although she felt it would have been better to postpone it if the governments could not reach agreement.

She asked Mr Bruton if he was drawing a distinction between consideration of decommissioning on the one hand, and action on decommissioning on the other.

Mr Bruton said he had already stated the Government's position as clearly as he thought it could possibly be stated. He had said the Government wanted to address the issue in accordance with the Mitchell report.

He told Mr Ahern that if the all party talks began on June 10th, with everybody participating, he would be in favour of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation resuming its meetings.