The British Government must implement in its entirety the Good Friday Agreement, a Sinn Fein member of the Irish Parliament said today. On the eve of a fresh round of multi-party talks at Stormont, Kerry North TD Martin Ferris called for commitments on policing, human rights, equality and demilitarisation to be implemented as of right.

Mr Ferris admitted in South Africa after briefing African National Congress general secretary Kgalema Motlanthe on the current state of the peace process: "The last number of months have been very frustrating. There has yet to be any substantial progress in the discussions around the current crisis. It is time for the two governments to give it the sort of urgent and committed political focus that is required. We need to see the political institutions re- instated. The British government need to honour their commitments on policing, demilitarisation, human rights and equality and stop trying to use issues that are basic human rights as bargaining chips."

Tomorrow`s round table talks at Stormont will continue efforts to restore devolution and power sharing at Stormont.

Earlier today, the British and Irish governments both re- assured unionists about the temporary nature of arrangements in operation during the current suspension of the elected NI Assembly.

The pledges were made after a ministerial meeting involving the two governments in Dublin ahead of tomorrow's round table talks.

The move followed expression of unease from members of the Ulster Unionist Party of former Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble about the power of the north-south administrative mechanisms in place during the assembly`s absence, and the prospect of them acting independently of politicians.

After the Dublin exchanges the governments circulated what they called "a statement of clarification in response to certain concerns" about the agreement between them relating to decisions to be taken on policies and actions relating to implementation bodies set up under the terms of the Good Friday accord.

The statement stressed: "This agreement will terminate following the restoration of the assembly. Related Irish legislation will cease to operate on the earliest practicable day after the termination of the agreement. These temporary and remedial arrangements between our two governments are made in the expectation of an early resumption of devolution in Northern Ireland. These structures and arrangements will not be retained in the absence of the meaningful functioning of other institutions provided for under the agreement of Good Friday, 1998."

Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy - involved in the Inter-governmental Conference Dublin meeting with Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowmen, Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell and Northern Ireland Office security minister Jane Kennedy - emphasised the "care and maintenance" nature of the present arrangements between the governments, and looked forward to the restorations of the assembly and the institutions "as soon as possible."

He said he believed and hoped the statement would boost the chances of progress at the round-table talks.

Mr Cowen added of the administrative set up: "These are temporary, sensible, care and management arrangements."

Sinn Fein Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness MP accused the two governments of "pandering to David Trimble".

Mr McGuinness said: "In October the British government, stepping outside the terms of the Agreement, suspended the political institutions again at the behest of Mr Trimble. Since then he has failed to turn up to any of the round table negotiations aimed at restoring the Assembly and Executive."

"Despite this it seems that the two governments are intent on pandering to Mr Trimble and placing the continued future of the remaining Good Friday institutions in doubt. Today's joint statement comes at an early stage in the negotiations and sends out completely the wrong signal and undermines confidence in our collective ability to reach an agreement which will see the political institutions restored. It will also encourage anti-Agremeent elements to continue with their efforts to wreck the Agreement."

The four-minister session also reviewed the present state of political progress generally in Northern Ireland, and a joint communique welcomed what it described as "the sense of urgency and engagement" being displayed by discussions between the parties in Northern Ireland.

The meeting considered, as well, the policing issue in Northern Ireland and criminal justice issues.

And on security, the conference focused on measures being taken to deal with paramilitary activities, sectarian violence and the combating of organised crime.

It was agreed that a review should be carried out of the workings of the British-Irish agreement and the institutions established under it.