In the formal negotiations, government delegates convened on Wednesday for intensive talks aimed at securing consensus on key themes.

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During years of discussions and five weeks of intensive talks in Rome, the United States had sought to water down a treaty setting up an international criminal court.

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For example, it took days of intensive talks last December between President Bashir and the southern leader and Sudanese Vice-President, Salva Kiir, to finally reach an agreement on the law governing the 2011 referendum.

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Mr Steinberg joined Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish officials at Hillsborough Castle on Wednesday and Thursday during intensive talks to try to resolve differences over IRA decommissioning, police reform, demilitarisation and Ulster Unionist sanctions against Sinn Fein.

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Zebari announced that these talks - the most intensive to date - will include discussions of how to control militias, how to cooperate in fighting militant networks and monitor the border and how to prevent the flow of weapons, money and fighters through Iraq's borders.

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He rejected claims the government had stopped negotiating with the unions, as Ed Miliband had suggested during prime minister's questions, telling MPs talks were "very much alive, intensive and making good progress".

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