The SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, expressed his delight at the outcome of the Ulster Unionist Council meeting, and said he looked forward to the Executive being reconvened as soon as possible.
"This is very welcome news because what it will lead to is a restoration of the Executive and once all the representatives of all of our people start working together, that will transform the atmosphere. Let us not forget when they worked together for eight weeks; that made a very powerful impact on the community as a whole and I have no doubt once it starts again it will make a similar impact.
"Once we start working together again, we will get into tackling the issues of real politics, issues such as the social and economic problems, and the more we get into that, the more we will break down the barriers and build a normal society".
He added: "I welcome the fact that David Trimble has had a victory. Obviously I would liked to have seen him have a totally massive victory, but once the institutions are up and running again, I hope that will persuade all of the No people that the proper way forward is for all sections of our people to work together and to implement all aspects of the Good Friday agreement.
"The biggest confidence-building measure is the peace on our streets, and the fact that the IRA have said that they are totally committed to the peace process and that their silent guns offer no threat to that process and that they will work towards putting their guns beyond use to the satisfaction of an international commission offers the perfect way forward.
"We are now at the stage where we can permanently take the guns out of Irish politics and that will be a magnificent and historic achievement because, tragically and unfortunately, we have had the gun in our politics for centuries.
"The opportunity now exists to take it out forever and I hope that that will happen and enable a new society to evolve in which we will deal with real politics," he said.