The Minister for Foreign Affairs is today expected to reassure unionist politicians that the Government is not seeking to control decision-making during the suspension of the Stormont Assembly.
Mr Cowen is due to meet a UUP delegation headed by the former Stormont enterprise minister, Sir Reg Empey, in Dublin this afternoon.
It is understood the Northern party will warn Mr Cowen they will not be bound by any British-Irish government decisions in respect of cross-Border bodies taken during the suspension.
However, the Minister will tell them the Government is merely ensuring that tourism and trade bodies remain fully operational until the Assembly gets underway again.
The UUP is understood to intend to threaten that his party might refuse to nominate for vacancies to four North-South agencies due to be filled this month.
This would mark a dramatic escalation of the UUP's dispute with Dublin over recent Irish legislation allowing for decisions of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in respect of cross-Border bodies to be taken by the Irish and British governments pending the restoration of Northern Ireland's devolved administration.
Sir Reg and his party leader, Mr David Trimble, insist no Irish legislation is necessary to ensure the protection of existing budgets and work programmes of the cross-Border bodies.