Bill Clinton and Theresa May to discuss power-sharing crisis

By Gavin Cordon & David Young

Theresa May is to discuss the current political situation in Northern Ireland with former US president Bill Clinton, Downing Street has said.

Mr Clinton, who has been visiting the UK and Ireland, will meet with the Prime Minister in Number 10 on Thursday.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "He and the PM wanted to take this opportunity to discuss Northern Ireland and also the ongoing partnership between the Government and the Clinton Health Access Initiative's work to lower the cost of HIV/Aids treatment worldwide."

Yesterday, Mr Clinton met with members of the DUP and Sinn Fein in Belfast for what was described as 'private engagements'.

The private discussions came as the two parties remain at loggerheads in negotiations to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland.

The DUP stressed that the behind-closed-doors engagement with Mrs Foster at the Culloden Hotel on the outskirts of Belfast did not focus on the ongoing impasse.

However, Sinn Fein said the situation at Stormont was on the agenda in its talks with the former president.

It is understood Mr Clinton is reluctant to be seen as directly intervening in the process.

As president,he played a key role in helping to secure the 1998 Good Friday Agreement which led to power-sharing in Northern Ireland.

Currently the devolved institutions at Stormont remain suspended following collapse of the administration in January in the wake of the resignation of the late Martin McGuinness as deputy first minister.