Anti-Agreement unionists have said a second inspection of Provisional IRA arms dumps is "imminent". They were speaking after a meeting with Gen John de Chastelain, chairman of the Independent International Decommissioning Commission.
The Northern Ireland Unionist Party leader, Mr Cedric Wilson, said the commission agreed with him that an inspection would take place soon. He claimed that the commission had gone as far as to say that such an inspection "might already have taken place".
Mr Wilson said the inspection of arms dumps was not enough for unionists. Weapons had to be destroyed.
Mr David Trimble yesterday stressed the importance of the policing issue to the political situation in the North.
The UUP leader said Mr Tony Blair had to ensure that the North's new police force had the confidence of the whole community. Concerns about the Patten report were damaging unionist confidence in the peace process.
Mr Trimble said he would continue as First Minister despite the increasing pressure on him from within his party: "Yes, obviously there are difficulties. But I have got a job to do and I am doing that job as best I can."
He said the onus should be on nationalist leaders in the North, and not on the Taoiseach, to put pressure on the paramilitaries to disarm. "I think it is more for Northern nationalists - particularly the SDLP and Catholic Church - to sit down and do some hard thinking. I don't think it is fair to place the responsibility on Bertie Ahern, because he has only limited influence on them."
Mr Gerry Adams said, however, that the difficulties of the UUP leader should not become more important than the peace process itself. The onus was on the two governments to continue to implement the Belfast Agreement.
"There is a historic responsibility on the British government to right the wrongs done here and not pass the buck on other partners or advance the difficulties of one particular grouping above and beyond the needs of the peace process," the Sinn Fein leader said.