BUSH BLAIR SUMMIT: The British and Irish governments remain guardedly optimistic that their blueprint for restoring devolution will persuade the IRA to demonstrate by word and deed that its war is effectively over.
And despite continued cynicism about combining the war summit with talks on the Northern peace process, they are also convinced that the presence of President Bush in Hillsborough today will bolster the chances of agreement when the British-Irish document is published on Thursday.
"The value of having President Bush in Hillsborough is that it provides an extra impetus to what the governments are doing to deliver the full implementation of the Good Friday agreement," said a Government spokesman.
President Bush, accompanied by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, will today urge the pro-Belfast Agreement parties to endorse the British-Irish proposals.
President Bush may fall short of directly appealing to the IRA to carry out the acts of completion requested by the British and Irish governments but, sources said, it would be clear from his comments that he expects substantial movement from the IRA.
The governments say they don't have a clear indication of how the IRA will respond to the blueprint but sources said they realised what was required. "The IRA know what they have to do - in short they have to demonstrate that they are going out of business," said a Dublin source.
A statement from the IRA is expected within days, possibly as early as Friday. The governments hope it will be clear from the wording of the statement that the IRA is ending all activity and that this will be followed by a major act of disarmament.
If Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble views the IRA response as substantial, he will then call a meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council to endorse the British-Irish proposals.
Sources from the governments and parties warned, however, that there is still danger that this opportunity to restore the power-sharing Executive could collapse on the brink of success, but generally the mood in Northern Ireland last night was hopeful.
Mr Blair's official spokesman described as "highly significant" President Bush's discussions this afternoon with the pro-agreement parties. "I think it is time to encourage the parties to take the steps that are necessary. How they will respond will be up to them," he said.
President Bush and Mr Blair will discuss Iraq this morning before they give a press conference at around 11 a.m.
Most of the focus of this conference will be on Iraq but President Bush and Mr Blair will also address the issue of the British-Irish blueprint and the two governments' determination to reactivate the Stormont institutions.
The Taoiseach is due to arrive at noon and will join President Bush and Mr Blair for talks on Iraq, the Middle East and the Northern peace process. The three leaders will hold discussions with representatives from the pro-agreement parties for about 60 minutes after lunch.
Before leaving Hillsborough, President Bush, Mr Ahern and Mr Blair will issue a trilateral statement again urging the parties to support the blueprint.
The Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, said President Bush's visit would assist the peace process. "I do hope that in the next week we will see these acts of completion, whether it is from us in terms of our joint declaration, or whether it is the IRA doing what they have to do. I think the fact that we have got these world leaders and prime ministers with us will actually help that process," he told the BBC.
Sinn Féin Assembly member Mr Gerry Kelly said he hoped there would be substantial movement this week. "I hope, along with President Bush and others, that we can move the whole process forward, get the institutions set up again, and show to the world that peace works," he added.
Mr Trimble said that this week was "a moment of truth" for Northern Ireland. He hoped that by "Thursday night we do see decisive steps beginning to unfold". He said there would be unionist disappointment if there were not major action from the IRA.
The SDLP leader, Mr Mark Durkan, again expressed disquiet at discussions on the peace process running in tandem with the war summit. "I am determined to take part in whatever talks there are about our situation but I'm not going to be dishonest or hypocritical enough to pretend that I do not have misgivings about the circumstances in which they are taking place," he said.
The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, objected to his party being excluded from today's meeting. "The views of the political representatives of the majority of the unionist community are being ignored," he said.