Ulster Unionists have welcomed moves by the Irish and British governments to defuse the row concerning the North-South bodies.
They claim that legislative plans to keep the cross-Border bodies running during suspension of devolution had been devised without consultation with them and did not respect what they call the "basic architecture" of the Belfast Agreement. Party leader, Mr David Trimble, warned that the UUP could withdraw from multi-party talks at Stormont, due to reconvene this afternoon, if the issue was not resolved.
Yesterday the party greeted the "strong and clear" clarification given by the two governments following the meeting between the two governments at Farmleigh in Dublin.
Sir Reg Empey said: "We argued successfully for clarity and certainty, and I particularly welcome the section in this joint statement which states that the structures and arrangements provided during suspension 'will not be retained' if suspension lasts longer than was first envisaged."
He added: "This vindicates the position we adopted and the strong case we put to both governments.
"It has now been confirmed that all North-South co-operation will be carried out on a care and maintenance basis; no new policies will be introduced, and confirms our view that implementation bodies will not be retained in the absence of the other institutions established under the agreement. This dispute demonstrates the need for proper consultation and no return to the bad old days of the Anglo-Irish process of the 1980s."
A well-placed source at Stormont said that as far as the British government was concerned the issue was now closed.
The UUP also released the text of a letter written by Mr Trimble to the Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, which detailed complaints of non-consultation.
The UUP leader sought confirmation from the Northern Secretary that the new arrangements did not authorise the Irish Government to make "joint decisions" on policy and action by any Northern Ireland department.
Sinn Féin said the two governments were guilty of "pandering to David Trimble". The party's chief negotiator, Mr Martin McGuinness, said: "In October the British government, stepping outside the terms of the agreement, suspended the political institutions again at the behest of Mr Trimble. Since then he has failed to turn up at any of the round-table negotiations aimed at restoring the Assembly and Executive.
"Despite this it seems that the two governments are intent on pandering to Mr Trimble and placing the continued future of the remaining Good Friday institutions in doubt."
The SDLP leader, Mr Mark Durkan, welcomed the outcome of the talks at Farmleigh.
He added that a "constructive approach" was evidence of proper motives and was designed "to minimise the damage of suspension and to protect the work of the bodies".