INVITATIONS to nominate negotiating teams to take part in next Monday's all party talks are believed to have been sent yesterday to all the parties with the exception of Sinn Fein, which had delegates returned in last week's election.
Meanwhile, Sinn Fein has announced plans for a major rally in the Ulster Hall in Belfast next Friday evening in support of its demand for "real" all party talks.
In accordance with the electoral legislation, nine party leaders are being invited to name their negotiators to attend the opening session of the talks on Monday.
Sinn Fein has, for the moment at least, been omitted from the list on the basis of a clause which says that both governments are agreed "that the resumption of ministerial dialogue with Sinn Fein, and their participation in negotiations, requires the unequivocal restoration of the ceasefire of August 1994".
It was also confirmed unofficially that the 110 member deliberative Forum is to hold its first meeting on Friday, June 14th, four days after the negotiations begin. Sinn Fein is entitled to attend the Forum, irrespective of an IRA ceasefire renewal, but has already indicated that it will not participate.
Announcing next Friday's rally, which will be attended by all 17 of Sinn Fein's successful candidates in the election, Mr Gerry Adams said in a statement. "Those who voted for our party have a right to expect their elected representatives to be present at any negotiations."
His statement added. "Having lectured republicans on the sanctity of the ballot box, the British government cannot now be allowed to set these democratic rights aside because they don't like the outcome of the election."
Speculation developed about internal republican uncertainty and vacillation on the ceasefire issue after a brief IRA "statement" was selectively communicated to news media in Belfast late on Monday night.
According to reports, the message was communicated by telephone by a senior IRA source to the BBC and to one nationalist newspaper, the Irish News. This did not fit the usual pattern for the release of IRA statements, and there were significant anomalies in the two versions of the message.
The BBC reported that the caller said the likelihood of a ceasefire before next Monday was "extremely remote". According to the Irish News the full statement said. "We remain ready and willing to continue with our position of enhancing the atmosphere for proper and meaningful negotiations. Given the current stance of the British government and given current conditions, it would appear there is absolutely no likelihood of any substantive IRA move this side of June 10th."
Formal IRA statements are usually issued in written form, and Monday night's message, if genuine, had the appearance of a last minute attempt to increase on the two governments to make progress at yesterday's London meeting.
The SDLP South Down MP, Mr Eddie McGrady, urged Sinn Fein to use its public influence to persuade the IRA to announce a cessation.
He said in a statement. "It is now time for Sinn Fein to respond with the rest of the parties who have chosen to debate our future following the recent election. If to do that they have to call on the IRA to reinstate the ceasefire, then so be it that is what the peace process requires."
Mr David Ervine, of the Progressive Unionist Party, said the all party negotiations would be devalued by Sinn Fein's absence, but it could not be allowed to hold up the process.
The Alliance Party chairman, Mr Steve McBride, said the process of finding common ground between the unionist and nationalist traditions must go on "with or without Sinn Fein and the IRA".