Dissident unionists claimed a victory of sorts after Saturday's Waterfront Hall vote. One of the most vociferous opponents of the Belfast Agreement, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson MP, said the Ulster Unionist party had "moved very firmly on to our ground".
Mr Donaldson said he believed the vote marked a shift in party policy.
"We are now beginning in a real way to put pressure on republicans - which is something we should have done a long time ago - to decommission their illegal weapons," he said.
"We did not get everything we wanted but David Trimble has moved very firmly on to our ground." Mr Donaldson said he was hopeful that the UUP could find unity in the near future.
"We came close to an achieving a consensus and if the IRA don't start decommissioning their weapons then it's clear we will be back here in January to look at the issue again," he said.
If there had been no decommissioning by that time then "the next logical step" would be to push for the exclusion of Sinn Fein from the Executive.
"They need to get the message that unionists are tired of waiting - they are tired of their procrastination and their delay," he said.
Asked whether he thought a deadline would move the republican movement towards decommissioning, the Lagan Valley MP said that already "the clock is ticking", given that the date set by the Irish and British governments for decommissioning was June.
Mr Donaldson said he agreed with the call by Mr Trimble for the Independent International Decommissioning Commission to be more proactive.
"Northern Ireland taxpayers have already shelled out over £2 million to Gen de Chastelain and they have been sitting there and doing nothing".
Mr David Burnside, whose defeat in the South Antrim by-election precipitated the council meeting, also expressed some satisfaction.
He said the decision to back Mr Trimble's proposal placed a clear onus on republicans to disarm.
"There has been a hardening up of the party attitude with David's plan of action and I think that is good. We are moving in the right direction and we can regain the credibility of the unionist electorate," he said.
"In my opinion, the pressure still goes on republicanism to honour their commitment and feed it on."
The UUP Assembly member, Ms Arlene Foster, said that although she had voted for Mr Donaldson's proposals, she was pleased with the progress the party had made and would support it.
"What came out of the motion today is that we are going to take some action against Sinn Fein," she said.
Other senior figures were less pleased with the council decision. Mr Peter Weir, a leading dissident Assembly member, said the fight would go on to change party policy.
"I'm naturally very disappointed, because I think a golden opportunity has been missed. I think the proposal put forward will not deliver actual decommissioning and that will become evident in a short period of time."
Mr William Ross, MP for East Derry, said the amendment passed by the council merely stalled a decision for a deadline on decommissioning.
"What this actually does is delay the actual decision that has to be taken. I think what it means is that instead of having a short fuse burning until the end of November, we have to still detonate at the end of December and beginning of January."
Mr Ross said if UUP delegates did not take a decision in January for a cut-off date for decommissioning, the unionist elect orate would decide for them.
"I think that if we take the wrong decision the next time around, the consequences for the Unionist Party would be quite devastating. I don't think it could survive it."