Northern Secretary Paul Murphy is to meet the Democratic Unionist Party this morning at the start of a new effort to advance the peace process and restore devolution to the North.
As he prepared for the meeting, Mr Murphy said recent statements by the DUP and Sinn Féin had been "very encouraging" but warned substantial progress was dependent on a gesture from the IRA.
"I have been pleased with what we have heard and seen over the past few weeks," he said. "Some of the statements which have been made have been very encouraging and the fact is that while there has been some difficulty over marches it has certainly not been as bad as the past.
"All of these augur well for the seriousness with which local politicians will tackle the restoration of the institutions."
However, Mr Murphy said there would not be a restoration of devolution "unless we resolve the paramilitary issue, whether that is in terms of decommissioning or paramilitary activity".
The DUP delegation meeting Mr Murphy today at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down, will be headed by Mr Peter Robinson and will include Mr Nigel Dodds and Mr Jeffrey Donaldson.
Bilateral talks involving the Government recommence at Stormont next week. The Stormont meetings will pave the way for a meeting between the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, during the second week of September.
That meeting will set the scene for the all-party talks chaired by the governments at Leeds Castle, Kent, beginning on September 16th.