The Progressive Unionist Party, the UVF's political wing, has said that even if the Provisional IRA decommissions, the UVF will not necessarily hand over its guns.
The PUP Assembly member, Mr Billy Hutchinson, told the party's annual conference in Belfast at the weekend that anyone who expected any significant progress on decommissioning in the near future would be disappointed.
Mr Hutchinson's speech was widely interpreted as hardline, but some observers believe it has eased pressure on the Provisional IRA as the UVF effectively now holds the same position on decommissioning.
The PUP urged the North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, not to allow the issue to block political progress.
The party's chief spokesman, Mr David Ervine, called on Mr Trimble to press ahead with setting up the new executive despite the absence of an IRA arms hand-over.
"There is not a chance, not a hope in hell of decommissioning before October 31st. But nowhere in the agreement is there a solid guarantee that on a certain date decommissioning will happen.
"The first move is the language of Adams committing himself. David Trimble must make the second move for the full implementation of the agreement. It is perhaps not all he wishes for but at least it's movement in the right direction," Mr Ervine said. The current crisis over decommissioning represented "not a battle between republicanism and unionism but a battle within unionism".
He said unionist politicians must show leadership rather than attempting to score points over old enemies. He urged Mr Trimble to stand up to hard-liners in his own party and adopt a position of "back me or sack me".
The UUP Assemblyman and member of the hardline Union First group, Mr Jim Rodgers, described the PUP's position as "disappointing but not surprising".
"If the UVF's `war' is really over, why will they not hand over their weapons?" he asked. "Both communities want to see decommissioning. There can be little progress without it."
Mr Hutchinson, who is the UVF's official mediator with the international decommissioning body, told the conference that a timetable for the hand-over of weapons was totally unrealistic.
"The UVF and Red Hand Commando are not ready to decommission and people must get that into their heads. Timetables are out of the question until the conditions are created for people to live in a peaceful society and republican tyranny is dead and gone for ever.
"If the IRA decommission, it doesn't mean the UVF will. It is not in the UVF's interests to decommission. It is in the UVF's interests to ensure loyalist areas remain protected." There was no point in the UVF handing over "a couple of guns or some Power Gel". What was required was a just and fair society where no one felt the need for political violence.
Mr Hutchinson claimed the UVF had acted "very honourably" regarding its ceasefire which was "solid". He said the paramilitary group had the "maturity" to follow its own agenda.
"Every time the IRA says or does something, the UVF will not run for the guns." In the absence of decommissioning, the UVF would ensure weapons did not fall into the wrong hands.
While decommissioning was currently unlikely it might not be unrealistic over coming years, he added. Mr Hutchinson said the Provisional IRA had totally failed to achieve its goals and had recognised Partition.
Meanwhile, the PUP leader, Mr Hugh Smyth, called on Portadown Orangemen to end their protest at Drumcree. He offered to act as a mediator with the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition.
Mr Smyth also urged the residents to compromise and allow the order to march down the road.