Gen John de Chastelain, chairman of the Independent Commission on Decommissioning, is expected to emerge shortly as a key figure in attempts to end the impasse on weapons disposal.
Informed sources yesterday indicated the Canadian general would play a critical role in producing a compromise in the dispute. However, republican sources last night said the Sinn Fein leadership would face enormous hostility from the IRA if it was seen to give ground on decommissioning.
Following a meeting with the SDLP leadership in Government Buildings yesterday, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said the impasse must be broken but he could not be sure how this could be achieved. However, a way out would be found.
It would be "helpful" if the republican movement reiterated its support for the terms of the Belfast Agreement "in relation to the issue that is creating some difficulties" - decommissioning.
In terms of "making life easier for all of us", it would be an ideal resolution if the republican movement went beyond making such a statement. "But I do not see why it would be a difficulty in expressing absolute support for the fact that there will have to be decommissioning within a two-year period of the agreement".
Emphasising the decommissioning issue would be dealt with, the North's Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon, said people should imagine a situation where a newsflash said the Belfast Agreement had collapsed.
"What would the reaction be in this country? What would it be in Britain? What would it be in the United States? Does anybody imagine that, given the governmental input to that agreement, and the input of the parties, and the risks that were taken, this agreement is going to be allowed to collapse on this one single issue? It simply isn't," he said.
Decommissioning would be resolved, perhaps not to the liking of Mr David Trimble or Mr Gerry Adams, but, resolved it would be. The entire agreement would be implemented in the speediest way. This was not "wishful thinking".
His relationship with Mr Trimble would be "repaired". Politics was about opposing opinions interacting and working together. Other disagreements would arise but the essence of the agreement was to provide a method of dealing with disputes politically.
Asked about progress on the proposed cross-Border bodies, the Taoiseach said an enormous amount of work had been done in this area. They would be ready to finalise these matters within days, if necessary.
The Government wanted to hear from all the parties and associated organisations that they were committed to the implementation of their obligations, quickly, under the Belfast Agreement.
Nobody should be holding back, waiting for others to make a move on "the people's agreement".
"We are concerned that perhaps we need to get far more momentum into the situation," Mr Ahern said. Every party had to implement all aspects of the agreement, without stalling. This involved establishing the envisaged institutions in the agreement without trying to alter their terms.
The SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, who attended yesterday's discussions, said they were doing everything in their power to implement the agreement in all its detail. This included a commitment by all parties to "total disarmament".