There is confusion tonight as to whether the DUP will engage with a Government delegation to Hillsborough Castle later this week for talks involving the Northern Secretary and the other parties.
Earlier today the DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley reacted furiously to comments from the Taoiseach that demands for photographic evidence of IRA decommissioning were "unworkable". He responded that the DUP would withdraw from all contact with the Government which he accused of trying to "double-cross" his party.
Mr Paisley declared: "We have cut off from today, all connections with the southern government in talks. As far as we are concerned, he [Mr Ahern] is a man that can't be trusted".
He was speaking after a meeting with the British prime minister, Mr Tony Blair, at Downing Street. In an effort to defuse the situation Mr Ahern telephoned Mr Paisley just after 5 p.m. to clarify remarks he made this morning.
Mr Ahern explained that when he said the issue of photographs was "unworkable" he was speaking from the Sinn Féin point of view. "Essentially, he was outlining the Sinn Féin position," a Government spokesman said tonight.
The spokesman said Mr Ahern's position had not changed and remained the same as outlined in documents issued last week. Mr Ahern made his comments after a one-hour meeting Sinn Féin President, Mr Gerry Adams, and the party's chief negotiator, Mr Martin McGuinness in Dublin.
A DUP spokesman confirmed the telephone conversation had taken place: "The Taoiseach contacted Dr Paisley around tea-time to apologise for the situation and how it had developed and reiterated that the photographs continued to be a part of the package. We are satisfied with the outcome of the telephone conversation," he said.
However, late this evening it was reported that although Mr Paisley had accepted the Taoiseach's apology his party was not going to resume contacts with the Government. A DUP spokesman could not be contacted for clarification.
As a result it is not now clear if the DUP will deal with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Dermot Ahern and his delegation at talks planned for this Wednesday with Mr Paul Murphy and other parties at Hillsborough Castle tomorrow.
The backdrop to this row is just how close the parties were to agreement, a point also emphasised by Mr Ahern this morning. "We were very close last Wednesday. There are one or two issues that have to be resolved and we believe it's possible to resolve these," he said.
He said the issues regarding alleged IRA criminality and paramilitary activity were "not that much different" to those set out last October, when a deal with Mr David Trimble and the UUP failed.
Earlier today, Mr Adams told RTÉ radio that Republicans were highly sensitive to any alleged links between them and criminality. He said commitments given by the IRA on ending its activities should be enough for the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern.
"You cannot be a criminal and a Republican activist. You cannot be involved in any criminality and involved in republican activism," Mr Adams said.
"If we get a statement from the IRA which says they will not be involved in any activities which would jeopardise or run against an agreement, that should be good enough for everyone."
Mr Adams also said the Governments "have to make it clear to Ian Paisley that if they, the DUP, will not come on board this process then the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister are going to continue with it anyway".
This morning's meeting in Government Buildings came amid growing acrimony between Mr Adams and Mr Ahern over the criminality issue and over the release of the killers of Det Garda Jerry McCabe.
The Taoiseach yesterday contradicted Mr Adams's assertion that the Government had given the Sinn Féin leader an understanding in 1998 that they would be released as "not correct".
The Taoiseach said Mr Adams was "wrong" on the matter; Sinn Féin's Mr Aengus Ó Snodaigh called Mr Ahern a "liar" in response.
Mr Adams later appealed to Democratic Unionist Party leader the Rev Ian Paisley to meet him for face-to-face talks.
Following talks in Downing Street with Mr Tony Blair, Mr Adams said: "All of the difficulties that remain are compounded by the fact that Ian Paisley will not talk to me, that Ian Paisley will not come forward to put his suggestions, his problems and concerns in a face-to-face way."