The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, spoke to the British Prime Minister several times yesterday, before and after Mr Tony Blair's meeting with the
Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble.
Following Mr Trimble's confirmation that he could not support the two governments' decommissioning paper in tomorrow's vote at
Stormont, Government sources here said that if the proposals are blocked "the focus shifts to September 15th and the three-strand talks". The passage of the decommissioning paper requires the support of the majority of unionists and the majority of nationalists at the multi-party talks.
The Taoiseach also maintained contact with Mr Blair over the weekend. Both governments were "working closely to ensure we have inclusive talks on September 15th," a spokesman said.
There was no comment from the Government on the decision of the UK
Unionist Party leader, Mr Robert McCartney, to walk out of Stormont when Sinn Fein representatives gained admission, nor was there any response to Mr Trimble's announcement in London that he was not walking out on the talks process.
Sources suggested that his decision to stay on board was not a surprise.
Meanwhile, it emerged yesterday that Sinn Fein's Mr Martin
McGuinness telephoned a number of leading figures in the Republic on
Friday to brief them on the rapidly-unfolding events in the North. An attempt by Sinn Fein to contact the former Tanaiste, Mr Dick Spring, in Kerry failed. A fax message to Mr Spring was earlier inadvertently sent to the editor of a south Dublin newspaper.