Two Ulster Unionist dissidents, who have yet to decide on whether to back Mr David Trimble's re-election as First Minister, have described a meeting with Gen John de Chastelain as "positive".
Ms Pauline Armitage and Mr Peter Weir yesterday met the head of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) for over an hour in an attempt to gain additional information on last week's IRA decommissioning move.
Speaking afterwards, the two MLAs said the meeting with Gen de Chastelain had been "interesting, positive and productive". Mr Weir said they had received answers to many of their questions and would now reflect on them before making up their minds on whether to back Mr Trimble.
"Some of the answers we have received were reassuring. Also, sometimes the failure to answer particular questions can be more illuminating than even a full answer would have been . . . Meetings to update party colleagues on what we have learnt are ongoing and we have agreed to maintain a channel of contact with Gen de Chastelain and the commissioners over the next 48 hours," Mr Weir added.
The meeting would "obviously form an important part" in their considerations on whether to fall into line with Ulster Unionist Party policy and support Mr Trimble, he said.
While conceding that "something has happened" as far as IRA decommissioning was concerned, both MLAs rejected an offer by the Sinn FΘin MP, Mr Martin McGuinness, to meet them.
Mr Weir said it was not up to him, Ms Armitage and Mr McGuinness to deal with the decommissioning issue on an individual basis.
The Sinn FΘin chief negotiator had offered to meet them to "impress upon them the magnitude of the IRA initiative and attempt to allay any fears they might have".
"It is important that those of us with political mandates work together in order to advance the peace process and build upon last week's IRA move," Mr McGuinness stated.
Ms Armitage, however, was dismissive of Mr McGuinness's offer saying he had never spoken to her before. Progress had "possibly" been made at the meeting, she added.
She would not expand on the seven demands she had reportedly tabled to Mr Trimble. Asked whether she would now back the UUP leader in his bid to be re-elected as First Minister, she replied: "Too soon. I will let you know on Friday." Mr Weir and Ms Armitage's support will be crucial if Mr Trimble is to secure the 30 unionist votes necessary to guarantee his re-election.
Meanwhile, the SDLP's Agriculture Minister, Ms Br∅d Rodgers, has described the next 48 hours as "critical for Northern Ireland" and called on the DUP to present their alternative to the peace process.
"The next 48 hours is a time for each of us in the Assembly to reflect very carefully on the importance of moving the process forward and building a new society in which we have a measure of control over our own future, seizing challenges, not passing the buck, celebrating difference and building on it.
"There are no easy solutions to our deep conflict but we have a framework that will bring them about. The time has come to support it and work it so that from within we can tackle the many issues which require urgent government action," she said.