Half of the outlawed UDA's most senior leadership met the Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, at Stormont yesterday to discuss how loyalism might respond to any IRA decision to decommission and end activity.
Three of the loyalist organisation's so-called six brigadiers were among the Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG) delegation that explored loyalist concerns with Mr Murphy.
They also discussed whether the UDA would reciprocate any IRA move to disarm and effectively disband, sources said.
On Monday Mr Murphy met members of the Progressive Unionist Party, which is linked to the UVF and Red Hand Commando.
These meetings come on the back of loyalist urgings to the British government to assist loyalism steer away from violence and criminality.
Three of the UPRG delegation are councillors, Mr Frank McCoubrey, Mr Frankie Gallagher and Mr Tommy Kirkham but, according to loyalist and security sources, the three other members are well known senior UDA figures who are members of the UDA's six-member ruling inner council: Mr Andre Shoukri, the UDA leader in north Belfast: Mr Jackie McDonald in south Belfast; and Mr Billy McFarlane in Derry and north Antrim.
These meetings are being viewed as part of opening moves to establish whether the main UDA and UVF organisations could and would respond to dramatic IRA moves.
Some senior loyalist figures believe that if the UDA and UVF fail to respond to IRA gestures that loyalism will be left isolated and branded as essentially criminal in focus while others favour maintaining a hardline stance.
While the UDA is officially deemed in breach of its 1994 ceasefire, Mr Murphy decided to meet the UPRG representatives, including its UDA members, to test whether the UDA could be persuaded to decommission and end activity.
The fact that Sinn Féin and the SDLP guardedly if suspiciously welcomed these discussions made it easier for the Northern Secretary to meet members of the banned organisation yesterday.
The meeting, which lasted for three hours, was described by Mr Murphy last night as "very useful and constructive".
Mr Murphy said the UPRG members discussed a wide range of issues with him of loyalist concern and that he in turn "made clear that paramilitary activity had to end and the issue of decommissioning must be dealt with".
It was agreed that contact would be maintained.
Sinn Féin Assembly member Mr Alex Maskey said his party welcomed such dialogue but added that it must be made clear to loyalist leaders "that its campaign against Catholics and ethnic minorities has to end along with its drug dealing operations in working class loyalist areas".
