The Democratic Unionist Party in forthcoming meetings with the British and Irish governments is expected to urge that political negotiations planned for the new year be split into various strands.
A DUP official confirmed yesterday (Monday) that meetings are in the pipeline with Prime Minister Tony Blair (perhaps next week) and at a later date with the Irish government.
At this stage exact dates have not been firmed up but the discussions will definitely go ahead, including a possible meeting with the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
According to the DUP it is happy to talk to Dublin regarding the relationship with Northern Ireland but will not discuss internal northern affairs.
This is all in the context of the upcoming review of the Good Friday Agreement and the DUP told the Irish News yesterday that it would take part in this review if negotiations are properly structured.
The DUP indicated that what may be needed in the talks process is a three-stranded approach dealing with internal issues, north-south questions, and east-west.
"It is clear there are problems in all these areas. The negotiations should take account of this in addressing all of the problems," a spokesperson said.
The principles of the review have been broadly drawn and the DUP believe these do not conflict with their own manifesto principles, policies and tests. But the DUP has emphasised that it wants absolute certainty that the scope of the negotiations imposes no obstacle to dealing with all the issues it is mandated to pursue.
North Antrim MLA Mervyn Storey said yesterday that a clear majority of unionists reject the Belfast agreement as the basis for a political settlement in Northern Ireland and they want a new, fair deal that they can support.
Mr Storey said: "During his time as secretary of state, John Reid acknowledged that Northern Ireland has become a 'cold house' for unionists.
"There are many issues that unionists need to have addressed in order to redress the balance of the past five-and-a-half years. It is these issues that the DUP will champion during the new negotiations."
He cautioned the British government "not to move an inch in turning the nightmare of the joint declaration into a reality."
"The granting of a single one of these concessions at this most sensitive of times could seriously scupper the chances of delivering the sort of stable, accountable, effective and efficient devolution Northern Ireland needs," Mr Storey said.
Meanwhile, in Dublin yesterday Sinn Féin launched candidates for next year's European elections.
Party president Gerry Adams said building on the party's success in the assembly elections and the general elections, Sinn Féin has, for the first time, a real opportunity to secure their first ever representation in the European parliament.
Mr Adams said they were putting forward a clear demand for an all-Ireland approach towards the EU and its institutions.
"The next six months will see the Irish government taking over the presidency of the European Union. It is an important time for debate and consultation.
"For example, the proposed changes in EU structures and institutions envisaged under the new constitution pose a significant challenge for us and there is an opportunity for Sinn Féin and others to clearly explain why we don't want an EC that is a military or economic superpower.
"We do want an EU that can be a model for democracy and justice," Mr Adams said. Sinn Féin's European candidates are Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin), Bairbre de Brun (Northern Ireland), John Dwyer (East), David Cullinane (South), and Pearse Doherty (North West).
