The political representatives of the UVF and the UDA are expected to hold talks within the next few days in continuing efforts to end the loyalist feud. A meeting due to take place yesterday was postponed, but loyalist sources said negotiations were imminent.
Two men are being questioned after arms and ammunition were found during a planned search of a house on the Shankill. A machine-gun, an assault rifle and a pistol were among the weapons seized from the house in Malvern Way yesterday. The arms are being linked to the UDA.
The loyalist feud has claimed three lives. The Ulster Democratic Party, the UDA's political wing, expressed anger and disappointment at the cancellation of yesterday's meeting. It blamed the Progressive Unionist Party, the UVF's political wing.
UDP leader Mr Gary McMichael said: "We went to great lengths to try to ensure any difficulties on the Shankill would not affect this meeting. Unfortunately having done that, the PUP were still not prepared to meet.
"We stand ready to engage in dialogue. It is the only way of resolving this problem. We hope the PUP will come back to us." The UDA accused the UVF of escalating tension by trying to abduct leading UDA members from the Shankill in recent days.
PUP sources, however, claimed alleged UDA threats against children and attacks on taxi-drivers on the Shankill Road had led to its decision to pull out of yesterday's meeting. The party's chief spokesman, Mr David Ervine, said: "It's my intention talks should take place as soon as possible and I'm working to achieve that. A meeting will take place in the coming days - of that I have no doubt. There is enough good faith in people like Gary McMichael and David Adams to get this stopped. We just felt that talks could not have taken place against a backdrop of women and children being intimidated and attacked."
However, UDP chairman Mr John White accused Mr Ervine of talking "absolute rubbish" and said the real reason the PUP had withdrawn from the meeting was that the UVF wanted to exact further revenge against the UDA.
He said: "The reality is that the UVF don't want talks. For quite some time now attacks have been taking place on both sides, not just one side." Shankill Ulster Unionist councillor Mr Chris McGimpsey said negotiation was the only way to end the feud and political representatives on both sides should not be disheartened by the cancelled meeting.