NI talks safe without Blair

Published on 03/10/2006 00:35

ONE of the architects of the Northern Irish peace process yesterday played down suggestions from Downing Street that moves towards a final settlement would be lost after Tony Blair steps down as prime minister.

George Mitchell, a United States senator who led the negotiations towards the original Good Friday agreement, said:

"It's been impressive to me to see how changes in government to both countries have not ended the process.

"They've picked up and gone forward, whatever the parties."