'He didn't bring me solutions': Williams on PM meeting

There was no shouting match, but Friday's hour-long meeting between Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams and Prime Minister Stephen Harper ended much as it had begun — cordially and without solutions, Williams said.

"It's fair to say we agree to disagree on issues," Williams told a press conference following his first sit-down with the prime ministersince a political spat arose between the two over the Atlantic Accord more than a year ago.

"The original disagreement affected a promise that had been made, and that position has not changed," Williams said. "As a result, nothing is going to change here."

That means Williams's threat to the federal government to mobilize an ABC — or "Anything But Conservative" position — still stands, the premier said.

"ABC is still on…as long as the matters are unresolved between us and the government of Canada, but I guess what we're trying to do now is find a way to move foward," he said.

Relations deteriorated this past spring after Williams accused Harperof breaking a promise vital to Newfoundland's economic future. Williams said the province would lose $11 billion due to the changes and how they would affect the province's share of offshore oil revenues.

Harper requested the meeting this week to forge a truce, but it quickly became obvious during the talks that neither side was prepared to budge, Williams said.

"To be quite honest with you, I don't want to put words in his mouth, but he didn't bring me solutions," Williams said.

He said theencounter began with each party giving their interpretation of the Atlantic Accord, but soon moved on to a general discussion of the province's economy when itbecame apparent the talks were headed nowhere.

"This wasn't going to be a shouting match," he said.

Harper did not speak to reporters after the encounter.

Williams is upset that the spring federal budget only allows Newfoundland to tap into a more generous equalization program if it gives up the accord, which protects the province's offshore revenues from equalization clawbacks until at least 2012.