THE Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, will hold "informal" discussions on Thursday with the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, four days before the multi party talks are due to resume at Stormont.
Sources in Dublin last night said there was no expectation of any developments from Thursday's meeting as the two politicians were merely conducting a review of the situation in the wake of traumatic months in the North.
There is little optimism that there will be progress in the talks, and sources privately acknowledge that the discussions are likely, initially at least, to be marked by the type of wrangling that characterised the first six weeks.
There have been no discussions between Irish and British politician in almost four weeks but, according to one source, "the mood has not changed" since the despondency that descended after Drumcree.
"Though the situation has not been enhanced in August, the governments want all parties to take their responsibilities seriously when they go back into talks on Monday," one source said.