Northern Ireland's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, will be counting on President Clinton's support this week in pressing Sinn Fein leaders to deliver a start to the process of IRA decommissioning.
President Clinton is expected to meet the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, in Washington on Wednesday, along with the party's Minister of Education, in the power-sharing Executive, Mr Martin McGuinness, and Cavan-Monaghan TD, Mr Caoimhghin O Caolain.
The planned White House encounter is regarded in British and Irish circles as of critical importance, with barely a month to go before the reconvened meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council to determine the continued participation of Mr Trimble and his ministers in the Executive.
However White House sources say Wednesday's meeting between President Clinton and Mr Gerry Adams, is not seen as especially linked with decommissioning. It is seen more as a "stocktaking" exercise. But it is expected that decommissioning will be raised.
Sinn Fein, significantly pointing to the political gains it has made as a result of the peace process, is flagging Mr McGuinness's visit as "the first trip to the US of a Sinn Fein minister".
The Sinn Fein visit to Washington comes amid mounting speculation that the IRA will make some gesture on decommissioning that would enable Mr Trimble to persuade the Ulster Unionist Council that the party should remain in the Executive.
It is understood Mr Trimble remains privately confident that the IRA will move on the issue sometime this month. Sources say he has been attempting to "regularise" the DUP's position in the Executive on that basis. Mr Adams and his senior colleagues have placed considerable store on US support for the peace process. The trip will fuel speculation that republicans may be about to issue their "payback" to President Clinton for that support, by some move on arms.
The London Observer, the Sunday Times and the Sunday Telegraph all published front-page reports yesterday suggesting that the IRA will take some action on weapons before the crucial meeting of the UUC.
The Sunday Times suggested that a possible solution to decommissioning could be the verifiable "dumping" of IRA arms. This could entail the sealing up of IRA arsenals verified by Gen John de Chastelain, and could allow the IRA to insist there was no "surrender" of weaponry.
British government sources however yesterday scotched reports that during Northern Ireland questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday the Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, is to make an announcement on further demilitarisation including the withdrawal of troops.
"No major announcements are expected from Mr Mandelson this week," said a Northern Ireland Office spokesman last night. A Government spokesman in Dublin described reports that the IRA will decommission later this month as "speculation". The Government expected the IRA to continue to engage with Gen de Chastelain, he said, and hoped they would fulfil their commitments under the Belfast Agreement.