Unionist leaders have met Tony Blair for the first meeting aimed at getting the Northern Ireland peace process back on track.

DUP leader Ian Paisley and other senior members of the party met the prime minister in Downing Street on Tuesday.

Symbolically, the talks were held ahead of the full round of negotiations on Wednesday so that the DUP avoided meeting Irish premier Bertie Ahern.

Number 10 described the meeting as being largely about finding out what the DUP's stance was on key issues.

"We all know what the DUP position is in broad outline," said the official spokesman.

"What today was about was beginning a conversation in more detail. They've said in public they want to be positive. We want to explore what that means in more detail."

"We should give it time. We will talk to the other parties and get their assessment along with the Taioseach tomorrow afternoon and then we will be in a better position to assess where we are going."

The new round of talks followed last month's elections to the Northern Ireland assembly, which saw the DUP become the largest party.

Tony Blair will hold negotiations with all the Northern Ireland parties to see if there is any way the assembly can be reinstated.

Rev Paisley revealed he had put a straightforward case to the prime minister.

"We expressed to him our desire to find a way whereby we can have democracy completely and totally restored to our community," he told reporters.

"We welcomed the fact that he had made it clear that we would have the opportunity to raise all the matters that we wanted to raise."

The party set out its position ahead of the review of the Good Friday agreement which is set to begin in the New Year.

Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern will meet the Northern Ireland parties in Downing Street on Wednesday.

Officials hope they can find a middle way where the review can be seen as a partial renegotiation - which the DUP wants - but without upsetting the republican groups.

This week's meetings will be a chance to assess where the party's stand with Number 10 saying the government would take the role of "facilitator".

"We'll be in a better position to assess where we're going," said No 10.