The North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, has announced a fresh initiative to inject momemtum into the peace process.
He told Assembly members in Stormont yesterday that he and the Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon, hoped to conduct talks with all the political parties in an attempt to break the deadlock over decommissioning and pave the way for the establishment of a power-sharing executive, and on other issues.
The First Minister reiterated his and Mr Mallon's commitment to "implementation of the Belfast Agreement in all its aspects", and to "moving as quickly as possible to ensure that we discharge our responsibilities - not only to this Assembly but to the community at large in Northern Ireland".
Mr Trimble said he hoped to hold a series of one-to-one meetings with party leaders this week and a plenary session involving representatives from the Assembly parties, to agree on new political structures, including the North-South cross-Border bodies, as well as decommissioning.
He told the Assembly members that some progress on steps to agree structures including a new British-Irish council had been made.
He revealed that the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man had been briefed on the nature of the new British-Irish council - a vital part of the Belfast Agreement - and had indicated a willingness to participate, along with Scotland and Wales.
Mr Trimble stressed that he and Mr Mallon were keen to find out the views of political parties on whether junior ministerial posts should be created.
Papers submitted by parties on the formation of departmental structures were being considered, with advice being sought from the Northern Ireland Civil Service.