The Taoiseach has said he understands the British government's decision to extend financial sanctions against Sinn Féin but has repeated that he disagrees with the move.
Speaking in Brussels, where he was meeting US President George W. Bush with other EU leaders, Mr Ahern said he was encouraged by Northern Secretary Mr Paul Murphy's declaration of Britain's commitment to an inclusive political process in the North.
"We understand that the British government got a recommendation from the IMC that they had to deal with, but more importantly, what Paul Murphy said today was in total agreement with our position, that the ultimate way forward was an inclusive process and that that is what they will work for.
"While they had to deal with this issue, which we don't agree with, he made it totally clear that he agrees with the Irish Government's position that it is an inclusive process with no exclusion and not alienating people," he said.
Mr Ahern said it was now essential to resume progress towards implementing the Belfast Agreement but that such progress will only be possible if Sinn Féin and the IRA address outstanding issues concerning criminal behaviour and paramilitary activity.
"It is important for us to get answers to those questions, even if the answers can't be delivered tomorrow.
"They are the full decommissioning of arms, which I believe we were very close to, and the issue of criminality, which we weren't close to, and the moving away from paramilitarism, to paramilitarism getting new instructions. I think we were making progress on that one," he said.
The Taoiseach said that the events of the past few weeks had helped the public to understand the link between criminal activity and the erosion of unionist confidence in the peace process.
"I think what we have done, in public opinion, we have crystallised what the problem is and why there is a problem.
"The reason we couldn't convince unionism . . . of the trust and confidence to set up the institutions . . . was because criminality was there which was eroding the trust and confidence. If you want to get the Good Friday Agreement there is a direct link," he said.