In the House of Commons yesterday, the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, renewed his call for the Ulster Unionists to accept the British-Irish document paving the way for the implementation of all institutions under the Belfast Agreement.
Mr Blair said he would "listen profoundly" to fears about the document, but he urged all sides to accept that The Way Forward was "the only chance, the only way forward" to deliver full devolution to Northern Ireland and the decommissioning of all paramilitary weapons.
Urging all parties to keep an open mind, Mr Blair said the document provided for the full devolution of powers to Northern Ireland and the decommissioning of all paramilitary weapons.
Later, during a BBC interview with Siobhan Maher, a schoolgirl from the west Midlands whose parents are from Co Mayo, Mr Blair said Northern Ireland had "come an awful long way" despite continuing violence.
Downing Street said last night that the Prime Minister had postponed a visit to Poland to discuss EU enlargement so that he could "fully engage" in discussions on Northern Ireland.