Mr Gerry Adams emerged from more than an hour of talks with the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, last night starkly warning that the latest British-Irish proposals do not offer a path to peace.
But despite the Sinn Fein president's public comments, Downing Street remained determinedly upbeat, signalling its belief that Sinn Fein is fully engaged in the peace process, and forecasting further meetings.
It was understood Mr Blair would have further urgent discussions with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, and others amid mounting anxiety in London and Dublin that the escalating round of sectarian killings should not destabilise the multi-party talks process.
Speaking to reporters outside No 10, Mr Adams confirmed his party's rejection of the British-Irish propositions on "heads of agreement" as a basis for negotiation. Mr Adams said: "Anyone who thinks an internal settlement is going to work or some assembly with a few nationalist knobs stuck on to it is going to work is not living in the real world."
But while maintaining that the British-Irish draft offered "the basis for those involved [in the talks] to move on to matters of substance", the Prime Minister's official spokesman insisted that proposals for a Northern Ireland assembly should not be seen in isolation, but in the context of the government's commitment to reach agreement in all three strands of the talks.
Mr Blair's spokesman said the Prime Minister had stressed his personal commitment to what remained a top priority for his government, and "an approach based on the knowledge that the status quo is not an option".
Mr Adams said his delegation had "in a very clear way, in a very focused way" expressed its "concerns about recent developments". These, he said, included "the Propositions for Heads of Agreement, about the killing campaign that has been going on for some time, and about the lack of progress on the equality agenda on a range of issues from demilitarisation through to Bloody Sunday."
Asked if he was any happier as a result of his meeting with Mr Blair, Mr Adams replied: "We have said many times that the task of getting the British government to face up to its historic responsibilities is a very daunting challenge. Perhaps none of this can be settled in one meeting. It needs a whole series, a whole strategic overview of how a democratic peace settlement can be brought about."
But the Sinn Fein leader insisted an internal solution would not work: "We are Irish republicans, not just through ideology or idealism but because nothing else has worked."
Mr Blair's spokesman rejected an "overly negative" interpretation of Mr Adams' comments. The party obviously had concerns but, he said, "we felt there was an approach from them that was actually quite positive. That's not to say there are not difficulties. There are. It's a question of trying to work our way through them within the process that is going on. I think that, given all the difficulties we have been through already, this process remains in good shape."
The spokesman said: "The Prime Minister is closely involved. He drives it on where he has to and where he can. No one ever pretended they are working from a perfect document or the only way forward. But it is the basis for those involved to move on to issues of substance." Stressing Sinn Fein's continuing involvement in the process, he said: "They are seeking to be positive about all this while spelling out their concerns, which are real."
Mr Adams said: "An internal settlement is not a solution. And therefore any parameters, heads of agreement, leaked papers, agenda points which are put forward by the governments must reflect in a comprehensive way the holistic view that a settlement must take on board the needs and concerns of everyone.
"There must be at the very least an all-Ireland dimension to this, and we, of course, as nationalists and republicans want to see Irish unity. We accept that others have a different view. That's a matter for negotiation. But at the very least those negotiations have to be conducted on a comprehensive agenda."