Ken Reid reports for UTV Live from Washington, where an historic informal meeting has taken place the night before between the British secretary of state for Northern Ireland, Sir Patrick Mayhew, and Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams. Emerging from the private meeting Adams is positive about how the talks have gone, a feeling not shared by Mayhew, who has been pressing for movement on the decommissioning of arms.

Later that day, President Clinton would address delegates at the conference for investment in Northern Ireland, expressing similar hopes of putting guns out of action. Gary McMichael of the Ulster Democratic Party (a party with links to the UDA paramilitary group), John Alderdice of the Alliance and John Hume of the SDLP are all interviewed to give their reactions to the events, while other delegates discuss investment in Belfast's shipyard.

An Ulster Television Production.