N. Ireland Power-Balance Hangs On Election

Votes Counting To Determine Which Catholic, Protestant Parties Will Form Coalition

(AP) 
The moderate parties that led the previous administration — the Protestants of the Ulster Unionists and the Catholics of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, or SDLP — held out hope that voters would return to them and make power-sharing easier to resurrect. If they don't, these parties would receive two posts each in the next 12-member administration.

But in a likely sign of results to come, Democratic Unionist leader Peter Robinson became the first confirmed winner, topping the poll in his Protestant east Belfast power base. The Ulster Unionist leader, Reg Empey, came third, although he was expected to win a seat in later rounds of counting.

Whoever comes out on top will face immediate pressure from the British, Irish and U.S. governments to cut a deal.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair insists that the new assembly must form an administration by next week, so that Britain can transfer control of 13 government departments to Belfast hands by March 26.

If that deadline is missed, Blair has promised to disband the assembly the following day, effectively giving up on a decade of toiling to deliver a power-sharing system.

But Paisley has not committed to cooperating with Sinn Fein, which for decades supported the IRA's failed 1970-1997 campaign to force Northern Ireland out of the United Kingdom and into the Republic of Ireland.

Paisley has soared in Protestant popularity on a stubborn platform vowing never to work with Sinn Fein unless the IRA disbands and Sinn Fein accepts British law and order. The 80-year-old anti-Catholic evangelist has never talked directly with Sinn Fein officials in negotiations.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams — who wants to gain power in both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, which faces its own parliamentary elections in mid-2007 — has come close to delivering Paisley's demands.

The IRA renounced violence and surrendered its weapons stockpiles in 2005. International experts last year said the outlawed group had stopped recruiting and training members, and disbanded units responsible for military planning, such as smuggling and designing weapons.

Adams last month rallied overwhelming support from Sinn Fein's grass-roots members for a policy U-turn — to begin cooperating with the Police Service of Northern Ireland. But the Democratic Unionists say Sinn Fein remains unwilling to help police solve certain kinds of crimes, particularly those involving members of the IRA and other anti-British paramilitary groups.