LONDON: The British and Irish prime ministers travel to Belfast on Thursday in a bid to break political deadlock between parties in Northern Ireland's fragile unity government.
British leader David Cameron and his Irish counterpart Enda Kenny are to hold talks amid increasing concern over whether the joint administration of unionists and nationalists is at risk of collapse.
The Democratic Unionist Party and Irish nationalist Sinn Fein party are deadlocked over welfare reform, as well as issues such as flags and parades that remain deeply divisive 16 years since a landmark peace deal.
In a statement, Kenny's office said that the meetings represent "an intensification of the efforts to reach agreement", and said the prime minister was cautiously optimistic.
"While recognising the complex and difficult issues to be addressed, the parties have engaged constructively," Kenny said in a statement.
"With a renewed effort, an agreement could be reached which would offer a brighter future for the people of Northern Ireland."
Both Sinn Fein and the DUP have warned that a deal must be reached before Christmas, or it will be postponed until after the British general election in May 2015.
Similar talks lead by US diplomat Richard Haass collapsed in December of last year without agreement.
"These talks have reached a crucial phase," British Prime Minister David Cameron wrote in the Belfast Telegraph on Thursday.
"The UK Government, along with our very close colleagues in the Irish Government, will be pushing hard to bring these discussions to a successful conclusion this week."
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