AS multi party talks resume today at Stormont, the achievement of agreement on an agenda appears remote. The Ulster Unionist Party insists it will not agree to decommissioning being referred to a committee for consideration in parallel with political negotiations.
The party's deputy leader, Mr John Taylor, told The Irish Times last night agreement on an agenda by July 31st is possible 59 that substantial talks can begin immediately after the August break. But he said his party will not agree to decommissioning being dealt with by way of committee.
Decommissioning will remain high on the agenda, he said, and must be resolved before the parties move to the next item. Mr Taylor also warned against any attempt by the Irish and British governments to "impose a settlement.
The SDLP was issuing "on friendly sounds", indicating it wanted to end the talks process so that "an Anglo Irish solution can be imposed".
"But all one can say is that if there was such trouble in Northern Ireland about walking along a 500 yard stretch of road, the trouble would be more extreme if there was any imposition by Dublin/London of a solution on Northern Ireland," Mr Taylor added.
A system of dialogue must be worked out so that an accommodation can be reached. "The British majority community will have to accept a sharing with the minority Irish community in the administration of Northern Ireland." But the nationalist minority would have to face up to the reality that Northern Ireland will remain in the United Kingdom, he added.
According to Dublin sources, final "proof" of unionist intentions about moving to a new stage of substantive negotiations will be apparent within the next two weeks.
With the multi party talks due to go into recess at that point, sources last night said it was "crucial" that wrangling about rules and procedures be left behind at once and agreement be reached on rules, an agenda and the establishment of the proposed Business Committee, before the end of this month.
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, said he intends to write to the leaders of the Orange Order, the Apprentice Boys and Black Preceptory to "encourage them to reach the accommodation that is required" if further conflict is to be avoided.
Asked what he thought of the prospects of another IRA ceasefire, Mr Adams said he did not believe a request for such a reinstatement would elicit a positive response at this point.
Republican sources denied newspaper reports that IRA members had moved arms and explosives out to secret locations without the authority of the "Army Council".