The Haas Talks

[Kidder81]

A total and utter waste of time that will lead to nothing, only the massaging of Richard Haass's ego (and that of his easy-on-the-eye sidekick) as some sort of international diplomatic firefighters. We'll still be in the same pile of shite in 20 years' time, and the swine (and their family employees) up in Stormont will still be at the trough, feeding off our taxes and delivering zilch

Absolutely. Another glorified talking shop, just like talks in Cardiff, lots of shite talk about "progress" and "positive dialogue" but nothing will change. I am sure they are all getting well fed and watered at it though

[Nally Stand]

If appropriate pressure is applied (who'd have thought 20 years ago Sinn Fein would have called a ceasefire let alone decommission its weaponry) anything can happen. Even if what you say is true, the USA should not continually provide a fig leaf for the British here.

Oh and by the way, Brtish tories will stand up to anything or anyone, when it suits them of course.

And does it suit them to stand up to unionism? Does it fcuk!

[T Fearon]

Thanks Red Hander and Kidder for confirming my views.It is only when the British,via intense international pressure,are forced to address the problems of an area for which they have sovereign responsibility,that tangible progress will be made.It certainly won't be made by US Diplomats (who don't even understand the problem) chairing talks and meeting everyone and his uncle.

[Orior]

Well, I suppose she is easier on the eye than Nelson McCausland

[Gaffer]

Well, I suppose she is easier on the eye than Nelson McCausland

  Wonder will any of the local politicians make a move there?

One of them's bound to be a horny wee fcuker!!!

[orangeman]

Makes a bit of a change from spilling blood.



Row erupts between DUP and Richard Haass By Gareth Gordon



It has emerged there was a row between the DUP and multi-party talks chairman Richard Haass on Thursday.

Party sources have told the BBC they are "spitting blood".

No further details were given, though Thursday's meeting would have centred on the issue of flags.

Before going in to meet the former US diplomat on Friday afternoon, the Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson said the party had been "robust".

"Well I don't want to try and characterise any of the meetings that we have had," he said.

"When it has come to propositions that have been put to us with which we are in clear disagreement, we have left no-one in any doubt about our disagreement."

The DUP is currently meeting the Haass team in talks dealing with the past.

Further multi-party talks have been taking place on Friday, and will continue over the weekend.

Dr Haass has said he is determined to bring the talks to a head by the end of the year, and ideally before Christmas.

The US diplomat has returned to Northern Ireland on Monday for what he said would be an "intense two weeks of deliberations and negotiations".

Compromise

He will hold three separate meetings on flags, parades, and the past, with each of the five biggest political parties.

Speaking before going into Friday's talks, Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly said all parties had room for compromise.

"As far as we're concerned, anything that any of the parties want to put on the table, we will listen to it," he said.

"Anything that Richard Haass puts on the table, we are going to listen to it and discuss it."

Mr Kelly said progress was being made, but he would not be drawn on the specific details.

Alliance MP Naomi Long warned on Thursday that the issue of Northern Ireland's past may never be resolved if politicians fail to reach agreement on how to deal with it.

Ms Long, who is one of the party's negotiators at the talks, told BBC's The View there was an opportunity that needed to be grasped, as the multi-party talks entered a crucial phase.

[Orior]

Makes a bit of a change from spilling blood.



Row erupts between DUP and Richard Haass By Gareth Gordon



It has emerged there was a row between the DUP and multi-party talks chairman Richard Haass on Thursday.

Party sources have told the BBC they are "spitting blood".

No further details were given, though Thursday's meeting would have centred on the issue of flags.

Before going in to meet the former US diplomat on Friday afternoon, the Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson said the party had been "robust".

"Well I don't want to try and characterise any of the meetings that we have had," he said.

"When it has come to propositions that have been put to us with which we are in clear disagreement, we have left no-one in any doubt about our disagreement."

The DUP is currently meeting the Haass team in talks dealing with the past.

Further multi-party talks have been taking place on Friday, and will continue over the weekend.

Dr Haass has said he is determined to bring the talks to a head by the end of the year, and ideally before Christmas.

The US diplomat has returned to Northern Ireland on Monday for what he said would be an "intense two weeks of deliberations and negotiations".

Compromise

He will hold three separate meetings on flags, parades, and the past, with each of the five biggest political parties.

Speaking before going into Friday's talks, Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly said all parties had room for compromise.

"As far as we're concerned, anything that any of the parties want to put on the table, we will listen to it," he said.

"Anything that Richard Haass puts on the table, we are going to listen to it and discuss it."

Mr Kelly said progress was being made, but he would not be drawn on the specific details.

Alliance MP Naomi Long warned on Thursday that the issue of Northern Ireland's past may never be resolved if politicians fail to reach agreement on how to deal with it.

Ms Long, who is one of the party's negotiators at the talks, told BBC's The View there was an opportunity that needed to be grasped, as the multi-party talks entered a crucial phase.

That's interesting. Anyone know when the past finishes and becomes current? Do they argue over what happened in 1969, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002, 2012, last month, last week, this morning and at the start of the meeting?

They could be there forever!

[orangeman]

Makes a bit of a change from spilling blood.



Row erupts between DUP and Richard Haass By Gareth Gordon



It has emerged there was a row between the DUP and multi-party talks chairman Richard Haass on Thursday.

Party sources have told the BBC they are "spitting blood".

No further details were given, though Thursday's meeting would have centred on the issue of flags.

Before going in to meet the former US diplomat on Friday afternoon, the Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson said the party had been "robust".

"Well I don't want to try and characterise any of the meetings that we have had," he said.

"When it has come to propositions that have been put to us with which we are in clear disagreement, we have left no-one in any doubt about our disagreement."

The DUP is currently meeting the Haass team in talks dealing with the past.

Further multi-party talks have been taking place on Friday, and will continue over the weekend.

Dr Haass has said he is determined to bring the talks to a head by the end of the year, and ideally before Christmas.

The US diplomat has returned to Northern Ireland on Monday for what he said would be an "intense two weeks of deliberations and negotiations".

Compromise

He will hold three separate meetings on flags, parades, and the past, with each of the five biggest political parties.

Speaking before going into Friday's talks, Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly said all parties had room for compromise.

"As far as we're concerned, anything that any of the parties want to put on the table, we will listen to it," he said.

"Anything that Richard Haass puts on the table, we are going to listen to it and discuss it."

Mr Kelly said progress was being made, but he would not be drawn on the specific details.

Alliance MP Naomi Long warned on Thursday that the issue of Northern Ireland's past may never be resolved if politicians fail to reach agreement on how to deal with it.

Ms Long, who is one of the party's negotiators at the talks, told BBC's The View there was an opportunity that needed to be grasped, as the multi-party talks entered a crucial phase.

That's interesting. Anyone know when the past finishes and becomes current? Do they argue over what happened in 1969, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002, 2012, last month, last week, this morning and at the start of the meeting?

They could be there forever!

The meter is running - they'll hardly if they have to go round the block a few more times.

[Jeepers Creepers]

The DUP raised a motion in west minister to bring more respect to the union flag in the North, ie to be displayed more ( yes even more) etc etc. No one backed the motion part from themselves

[orangeman]

Quelle surprise !!


Haass talks:

Peter Robinson says draft plan 'unacceptable' Richard Haass is chairing talks aimed at resolving outstanding disputes in the NI peace process


Draft proposals on Northern Ireland's past, parades and flags are unacceptable to the DUP, its leader Peter Robinson has said.

The five main Stormont parties have been examining the document drawn up by US diplomat Richard Haass.

While the first minister said he thought there could be progress on parades and the past, on flags things seemed to be "moving backwards".

However, Mr Robinson said he believed agreement was still possible.

"Nobody is throwing the towel in at this stage," he said.

"We are just saying there is not a set of proposals that we can support or agree to or recommend."

The draft document was examined by DUP party officers on Monday, but Mr Robinson said there was no point in bringing it to his assembly team as they would not endorse proposals which were "unhelpful and unworkable".

'Robust ideas'

"If I thought that was the final paper, there would be steam coming out of my ears," he said.

DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson, SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell and UUP leader Mike Nesbitt give their initial impressions
"But it is not the final paper and we still have work to do, and we are up to doing that work."

SDLP MLA Alex Attwood said the document had "strength and depth".

His party leader Alasdair McDonnell added: "It's very early days in that there'll be three or four days of intense debate, discussing, dissecting and deciding exactly what some of the words mean, because there's some very robust ideas and ideas that we're hopeful about.

"We have to then get to the stage where all the parties are in sync on all of these things and that will be difficult.

"We're hopeful, we want to see progress and there's room here for progress."

'Thorniest issue'

Paraphrasing Margaret Thatcher, Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt said things were "more out, out, out and we're a long way from in, in, in".

He added: "I don't think it'll be any secret to people that flags has emerged as the thorniest issue, that remains the case in terms of this first draft (document).

"You can expect that there are issues that are being floated perhaps that you have to accept are there today, but hopefully will not be there tomorrow.

"All things are possible if people come at it honestly with a spirit of generosity towards each other, but also determined that the outcomes are fair. I will remain optimistic until it's over."

While the parties examined the proposals at Stormont, talks chairman Dr Haass had travelled to London to meet the Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers and Downing Street officials.

'Intense'

Dr Haass was expected to brief them on progress to date.

He will return on Tuesday for another round of talks with Northern Ireland politicians.

Dr Haass has previously said he is determined to bring the talks to a head by the end of the year.

Five rooms were set aside inside the Stormont Hotel in Belfast on Monday for the political parties to examine Dr Haass's draft document.

The parties were told not to bring in any phones or other communication devices, nor to leave with any copies of the draft.

From Wednesday, the discussions are expected to move up a gear as Dr Haass's team pushes towards an agreed conclusion.

The US diplomat returned to Northern Ireland last Monday for what he said would be an "intense two weeks of deliberations and negotiations".

[Rossfan]

Presumably "we" want some recognition for our National Flag while the DUP no doubt want only one flag flying everywhere all over the 6 Cos??

[orangeman]

Presumably "we" want some recognition for our National Flag while the DUP no doubt want only one flag flying everywhere all over the 6 Cos??

Something like that.

[screenexile]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnH1OkBgTuQ

From 2:40 on...

[Minder]

Do they ever have any sorts of talks that aren't "intense" ?

[Maguire01]

Presumably "we" want some recognition for our National Flag while the DUP no doubt want only one flag flying everywhere all over the 6 Cos??

The DUP wouldn't even find the 'no flags' option acceptable, even though that's the sensible and logical option.

I can't see where a sensible agreement will come from on any of this. On the unionist side of the house, the DUP have never taken the bold steps or compromises - they left that to the UUP at the GFA and then stepped into government afterwards, blaming the UUP for all the concessions, whilst enjoying the perks.

Also, quite alarming that they can get closer to a deal on the past than on flags.