The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, will agree to persist with the review of the Belfast Agreement until Easter at least when they meet at Farmleigh in Dublin tomorrow, according to British and Irish officials. Gerry Moriarty, Northern Editor, reports.
The two leaders are concerned and frustrated at the political stalemate, but have decided against abandoning the review even though the Ulster Unionists have withdrawn from it and the DUP are demanding the expulsion of Sinn Féin from the process.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, and the Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, met at Parliament Buildings, Stormont yesterday to prepare for tomorrow's Ahern-Blair working dinner at Farmleigh. Mr Cowen also held discussions with the DUP and the SDLP.
There is British and Irish concern that the current deadlock could lead to a dangerous political vacuum that will run through to the volatile summer marching season. Preparation for the June European elections could also serve to prevent any real engagement between the parties until the autumn.
Mr Ahern and Mr Blair are struggling to find some means to maintain a level of political momentum.
Another obstacle to movement is the awaited Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) report on the alleged IRA attack on republican dissident Mr Bobby Tohill over two weeks ago. The IMC said yesterday it could bring forward its report on the Tohill incident from May to this month or next.
If it finds the IRA was involved it could recommend penalties against Sinn Féin such as expelling it from the review or suspending some of its political entitlements.
Senior Dublin and London figures fear that until the Tohill issue is resolved there is little opportunity for political progress.
There will now be an effective two-week break in the review as the North's senior politicians prepare to travel to the US next week for the annual St Patrick's week activities. The review, however, will thereafter run until Easter.
Meanwhile, the Ulster Unionist MLA for Strangford, Lord Kilclooney (66), has stated he is reducing his political workload, effectively ruling himself out as a challenger to Mr David Trimble when he seeks to be returned as UUP leader at the Ulster Unionist Council annual meeting this month.
Lord Kilclooney, formerly known as John Taylor the MP for Strangford, said he would not be seeking reappointment to the Policing Board next year, and that this year he wished to resign as a member of the UK delegation to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.