Published Wednesday, 20 January 2010
The Tories are already involved in an electoral pact with the UUP, but the talks at Hatfield House, the stately home of Lord Sailsbury in Hertfordshire, have fuelled speculation of a wider political deal, involving the DUP.
Read Ken Reid's blog: Unionist Unity
DUP leader Peter Robinson is understood to have led the party delegation at the weekend, though the party refused to comment on the discussions.
UUP deputy leader Danny Kennedy made a short statement inside Stormont's Parliament Buildings on Wednesday, insisting the talks were not "secret".
Mr Kennedy would not be drawn when asked whether a possible electoral pact had been discussed, although his comments suggested the forthcoming general election had featured in the talks.
"We thought we'd take the opportunity to confirm our attendance over the weekend at, not secret talks, but political discussions carried out with other pro-union parties in England," he told the media.
"We do not propose however to go into any kind of detail in relation to that (the talks) except to say we considered both the short term , medium term and long term interests of all of the people of Northern Ireland," he added.
He said he would not discount the possibility of "further or enhanced" talks taking place.
Pact
"The debate is being fuelled by the realisation that Martin McGuinness stands a very good chance of taking the First Minister's job after the next assembly election," UTV's Political Editor Ken Reid explained on his blog.
If the pact was agreed, it would dramatically alter the shape of the political map across Northern Ireland, maximising unionist political strength in the region, while also securing UUP and DUP support for David Cameron in a hung Parliament.
Unionist sources confirmed the closely-guarded talks with the Tories had the potential to be of significance to Westminster politics.
The revelations come as crunch talks are continuing between the DUP and Sinn Fein over the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Assembly.
Last week, the scandal-stricken DUP rejected claims by the Ulster Unionists that it was under pressure to secure a quick deal with Sinn Fein to avoid the collapse of the Assembly and the threat of a snap election.
Speculation now mounts Peter Robinson's position could be strengthened by the prospect of future co-operation between the unionist parties.
The SDLP warned against any "unhelpful interventions at a delicate stage in the peace process".
Leader Mark Durkan, warned the Tories against "distracting" Northern Ireland unionists.
The Conservatives had previously rejected DUP calls for agreed unionist candidates in selected Northern Ireland seats, characterising it as a return to old-style sectarian politics aimed at freezing out nationalists.
"When the Tories said they wanted to stand in every constituency in Northern Ireland they claimed they were not entering old communal politics", Mr Durkan said.
UUP MP Lady Sylvia Hermon who opposes the electoral pact with the Tories has also called for clarification over the special meeting.
The DUP and Ulster Unionists last made a pact and ran agreed candidates in 1986 in the wake of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.