The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, has said the British government must "re-engage and refocus" on current problems for a successful outcome to negotiations aimed at overcoming the impasse in the peace process.
Speaking as he arrived as Hillsborough Castle last night for talks with the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, Mr Adams said he hoped for a resolution to the crisis over demilitarisation, IRA arms and policing.
"I have to say, unless Mr Blair gets himself politically focused in the way that he has been at different times in this process then the possibilities are quite limited," said Mr Adams.
Mr Blair arrived at Hillsborough at 8 p.m. and held discussions with the Progressive Unionist Party, the Ulster Democratic Party, the SDLP and Sinn Fein.
Mr Adams said the deal struck last May, which restored the political institutions, was "in tatters", despite Sinn Fein keeping its commitments on the inspection of arms dumps and by providing a context for weapons to be put beyond use. The party was still committed to the Belfast Agreement. "We can't do it on our own but we're here tonight to try and work with others to make it happen."
Earlier, Mr Michael McGimpsey, of the UUP, accused Sinn Fein of not keepings its promises over arms.
"Sinn Fein are positioning themselves to create maximum tension and anxiety within the community," he said.
"Gerry Adams must now show leadership and act decisively. He must face down the rejectionists who are threatening to destroy the agreement and undermine his position."
Mr McGimpsey's comments came as the anti-agreement Ulster Unionist MP, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, said that if the IRA did not move on the arms issue before the end of the month the UUP should increase its sanctions against republicans for failing to honour their promises.
Commenting after his party's discussions with Mr Blair, Mr David Ervine, of the PUP, said he was "buoyed" by the "upbeat" attitude shown by Mr Blair.
"If that determination is matched on all sides something just might happen."
He said it was "too early to say that progress was being made, but what I witnessed was a determination and frankly I was quite pleased". "It seems to me that there is going to be a significant push and it's no accident that the Prime Minister is here," Mr Ervine said.
He said now was the time for a deal to be done to overcome the current impasse.
"We have got but a short time because everyone in these islands will be polluted by the circumstances of elections."