The middle-ground Alliance party Leader David Ford has expressed sadness at news that the former Prime Minister of Finland, Harri Holkeri, who co-chaired peace talks in Northern Ireland, has died at the age of 74.

The Stormont Justice Minister said he was deeply involved in negotiations in the lead-up to the Good Friday Agreement.

In the late 1990s, Mr Holkeri, (pictured here) was one of three chairmen on Senator US Senator George Mitchell's team for multi-party negotiations, which were assembled to end violence.

Mr Holkeri was also a member of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning set up later by the British and Irish governments to decommission illegal guns in Northern Ireland.

The 74-year-old was awarded an honorary knighthood for his efforts in the region, and later he also served as a peace negotiator in Kosovo.

David Ford said: "Harri was a man of massive integrity who played a key role in the peace process in Northern Ireland. He will always be remembered for his fairness and for his diligence in his role as co-chair of the peace talks.

"Harri was held in very high regard in the international community for the work he did here and with the UN, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this very difficult time.

"The people of Northern Ireland owe Harri an enormous debt of gratitude for his hard work in this role and for his ability to help in moving the process forward," he said after Mr Holkeri, who served as the Finnish premiere from 1987 to 1991, died on Sunday after a long illness.

The Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams also said Mr Holkeri led a "distinguished career".

"But it will be for his work here alongside George Mitchell in co-chairing the talks which led to the Good Friday Agreement for which he will be most remembered internationally," said Mr Adams.

"Before the peace negotiations commenced Sinn Fein had argued for the necessity for international involvement in the process.

"But while the Agreement was essentially the product of negotiations between the political parties people should not underestimate the contribution made by Harri Holkeri and his fellow chairs.

"Harri Holkeri was a skilled chair and diplomat. I would wish to extend my sympathy and that of Sinn Fein to his family and friends at this sad time."

(BMcC)