The Northern Secretary has discounted early Assembly elections in the absence of political progress. Mr Paul Murphy said confidence was fundamental to the political process and a breakdown in trust had led to the suspension of the Stormont institutions last month.
"We don't need to be obsessed with elections at the moment. The most important thing that is in front of us is the restoration and operation of the institutions," he said.
Next Thursday he will co-chair round-table talks with the parties. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, will also co-chair.
Mr Murphy said yesterday the talks would be open and he would not prevent any participant from speaking freely.
The refusal to call early elections flies in the face of DUP demands. Dr Ian Paisley, the party leader, said the DUP would not participate "in any process that is designed to resuscitate the failed agreement or reviving Sinn Féin/IRA's place in government".
However, the SDLP and Alliance welcomed the talks, and Sinn Féin also greeted the initiative.
The Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, said his party would attend but insisted "there is nothing to negotiate".
The anti-agreement Northern Ireland Unionist Party has called for a boycott of the talks.