Ulster Unionist Party officers were today debating whether to pursue disciplinary action against three rebel MPs.
Party officers are to gather at their headquarters in Belfast following last Saturday's Ulster Unionist Council vote urging Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, Mr David Burnside and the Rev Martin Smyth to resume the UUP whip at Westminster.
The three MPs angered the party leadership in June when they resigned the whip in a protest over policy.
A bid by supporters of UUP leader Mr David Trimble to suspend the MPs was overturned by a Belfast High Court judge because it did not follow party rules properly.
A second attempt to discipline the MPs was put on hold while the Ulster Unionist Council considered whether it would be wise to punish them.
A UUP source said he hoped the leadership would continue to keep the disciplinary action on pause.
Mr Burnside indicated after Saturday's vote that the trio would not resume the whip while legislation went through the House of Commons paving the way for a four-member commission which would monitor paramilitary ceasefires and the implementation of the Belfast Agreement.
Hopes have been rising since Saturday that the two governments and the pro-Agreement parties could break the deadlock in the peace process soon.
British Prime Minster Mr Tony Blair's Chief of Staff, Mr Jonathan Powell, was in Belfast yesterday for talks with Sinn Féin leaders.
It was also confirmed that Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble met Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams who has also met Mr Blair and the Taoiseach in recent days.
PA