UK Leader Leaves Belfast Peace Talks Without Deal
BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) — British Prime Minister David Cameron has left Northern Ireland peace talks after making a conditional offer of extra money for the region's Catholic-Protestant government, but local leaders dismissed his pledge as bogus.
Friday's early exit by Cameron from the talks dashed hopes of reaching a wider agreement to sustain power-sharing, the central achievement of Northern Ireland's 1998 peace accord.
Cameron billed his overnight talks with rival Protestant and Catholic leaders as productive. He said he offered them an extra 1 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) on condition they resolved several other disputes undermining their five-party administration.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, whose nationalist party represents most Catholics, called Cameron's intervention irresponsible and amateurish. Protestant politicians blamed both Sinn Fein and Cameron for the impasse.
(Story by: The Associated Press)
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