The Irish and British governments are tonight sticking by their joint declaration plan for reviving power-sharing in the North despite the proposal being formally rejected by Ulster Unionist Party today.
In a decision which gives satisfaction to the three dissident MPs in the party, the UUP's 110-member executive insisted after a meeting in Belfast that the joint declaration was not a "satisfactory basis" for political progress.
They singled out plans for the scaling down of the British army presence, a scheme enabling on-the-run terror suspects to return home without being jailed and the devolution of policing and justice powers.
As London and Dublin studied his party's response to the joint declaration, Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble insisted the UUP executive's resolution "would come as no surprise to either government.
"They will see in this the position which we put to them during the discussions that have taken place since last year," he said.
He also called on three rebel MPs who resigned the party whip over the issue to now resume their place on the UUP benches at Westminster.
In a message to Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, Rev Martin Smyth and Mr David Burnside, he said: "They resigned because they wanted to oppose the joint declaration and that joint declaration has been the subject matter of a council decision.
"There has now been a comprehensive resolution on it by the party executive which they contributed to."
He added: "They should also remember that the council in September called on them to take up the whip so I think that carries with it a very clear message and it is something I hope they will do."
The rejection comes ahead of a crucial meeting on the fringes of the Inter-Governmental Conference in Rome between the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
A British Government spokesman insisted tonight, they would not be deflected by the vote.
"The two governments are firmly committed to the joint declaration which they believe provides the basis for political progress," the spokesman said.
PA