A THIN threat of optimism emerged in Belfast yesterday on the prospects that the loyalist paramilitary ceasefire will hold firm, as the leaders of their associated political parties pledged to make every effort to prevent further violence.
Meanwhile, in a series of interviews, the National chairman of Sinn Fein, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, suggested that the authenticity of the IRA's inclination to adopt purely democratic methods of political action could only have been effectively tested if Sinn Fein had been into peace talks process during the last IRA cessation.
He suggested it could be put to, the test again "if we re create that opportunity and the IRA then betray that commitment".
The Combined Loyalist Military Command, the umbrella body for the loyalist paramilitary groups, is expected to meet before the weekend to discuss its reaction to the IRA attack on the Lisburn headquarters of the British army.
The leader of the loyalist Ulster Democratic Party, Mr Gary McMichael, said the CLMC alone could decide what would happen on to the loyalist ceasefire: "I can assure all the people of Northern Ireland that we will be doing everything humanly possible in our power to use our influence to try to avert further violence."
The Progressive Unionist Party spokesman, Mr David Ervine, said what had been holding the loyalist paramilitaries back so far was common sense".
He was convinced that there would not be a "kneejerk" reaction and he hoped it would be possible to maintain what was a historic loyalist ceasefire "in very difficult circumstances".
Another PUP leader, Mr Billy Hutchinson, said the remarks by the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, in the Dail yesterday, showed that hem was "not interested at this point in time in a pan nationalist front which the loyalist people are fearful for".
Mr McLaughlin spoke on behalf of Sinn Fein in at least four interviews on British and Irish radio and television channels yesterday, and insisted that there had been "a very significant departure in terms of traditional attitudes" in the republican movement at the time of the last BRA cessation.
"I believe there was an opportunity then to consolidate that particular process and in fact to make it a permanent transition," he said. "Unfortunately the opportunity was not availed of and it was a collective responsibility, it wasn't a singular one in terms of the republican movement itself."
Asked why there had been a return to violence, he said: "In my view, if we have a situation where people have taken a conscious decision to create the opportunity for dialogue, and that opportunity is not taken, then sometimes the attitudes that actually support armed struggle within the republican community have been validated, have been vindicated and those who were arguing that there was in facto an alternative - or at least the possibility of an alternative - were subverted, were betrayed."
He suggested that this was the reality of what had happened "as a result of protraction and inaction by the British government".
There had been a "leap of faith" by republicans and it had been thrown back in their faces.
The Lisburn bombing had obviously increased the difficulties for all sides, and the challenge was all the greater, he said, "but I think it becomes all the more urgent because we can write the script of what will happen unless the political process itself kicks in and those who are despairing or dismissive of what happened over the past two years are given encouragement that it will be different."
Sinn Fein was available to talk to the loyalists now, he, said. "West and ready to engage in negotiations with all sides."
The deputy leader of the SDLP, Mr Seamus Mallon, rejected suggestions that his party should break off its contacts with Sinn Fein. However, he argued that the multi party talks process should be able to gain momentum and make progress even without the participation of Sinn Fein.