1.   However, the political parties close to the Protestant paramilitaries warned Prime Minister John Major that deadlock on arms decommissioning might bring the faltering talks process to an end.

2.   But the call was rebuffed by the small parties close to these groups, to which the UUP had refused to talk until recently.

3.   Their meeting came hours after representatives of the political parties close to Protestant paramilitaries met with British premier John Major in London.

4.   Parties close to the loyalist paramilities had already progressed to talks with Ancram last March.