KEY POINTS:
BELFAST - Britain and Ireland urged Northern Ireland's politicians today to agree to a power-sharing government after assembly elections in the province or face continued direct rule from London.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair repeated a deadline of March 26 for a deal between the Protestant and Catholic
rivals.
The vote, widely seen as a test of support for joint rule, was dominated by the Protestant Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Catholic Sinn Fein, long time foes which favour reviving local government in theory but do not talk to each other.
Firebrand preacher Ian Paisley's pro-British DUP won 36 of the 108 provincial assembly seats, final results from Wednesday's election showed. That was six more than in 2003.
Sinn Fein, allied to the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and wanting union with Ireland, strengthened its hold to 28 seats, up four. The more moderate Protestant and Catholic parties sank to 18 and 16 seats respectively.
"The basis upon which the election was called and fought was that people would then go into devolved government," Blair said after meeting Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern at a European Union summit in Brussels.
"The mandate that has been given to the parties from people in Northern Ireland is to get on and do the business."
He reiterated that if the parties fail to agree to share power by March 26, Northern Ireland will remain under indefinite direct rule from London with help from Dublin.
A 1998 peace deal largely ended three decades of violence in which 3600 people were killed.
Key to whatever happens next will be 80-year-old Paisley, one of the most enduring figures of Northern Ireland's political landscape.
The deep-voiced clergyman has left the door open to power-sharing, to the dismay of some former supporters, but emphasises he must first be convinced of Sinn Fein's commitment to peace. He said this week it had to "turn from its evil ways".
British Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain met Paisley in his heartland of Ballymena today to discuss the next steps. They drove off together without comment to reporters.
After a separate meeting with Hain, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams repeated his readiness for power-sharing and said there was a need to be "tolerant and patient" with Paisley's party.
There was little support in the election for radicals who accuse Sinn Fein of betraying the IRA's three-decade fight against British rule, or for those unionists who believe there should be no talks with anyone linked to the IRA.
Also sidelined were the more moderate Protestant Ulster Unionist Party and Catholic Social Democratic and Labour Party, whose own bid at power-sharing collapsed five years ago, leaving political paralysis.
The last assembly never sat for a full day after it was elected in 2003. In a sign some voters are turning from sectarian politics, the cross-community Alliance Party raised its share from six to seven seats while the Green Party picked up its first.
- REUTERS
