The Irish and British governments will discuss a hard-hitting independent report into paramilitary activity next week in London before holding joint talks on Wednesday.
The Independent Monitoring Commission presented its assessment of paramilitary activity, including the alleged abduction of Bobby Tohill by the IRA last February, to the two governments yesterday.
The Department of Justice and the Northern Secretary confirmed the report would be considered next Tuesday by both governments.
It is likely to come up for discussion at a meeting in London on Wednesday of the British/Irish Intergovernmental Conference.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, was studying the report last night.
A reliable source indicated to The Irish Times yesterday that the report, which was completed ahead of schedule at the governments' request, was hard-hitting in its assessment of IRA activity.
Sinn Féin returned to its criticisms of the commission, questioning its independence and accusing it of being politically manipulated ahead of planned proximity talks hosted by the two governments in London later this month.
Mr Gerry Kelly said: "The issuing of this report is politically motivated and is an attempt to disadvantage Sinn Féin in the imminent talks."
He said London was guilty of double standards in demanding an early IMC report despite pending legal proceedings against suspects in the Tohill case at a time when it refused to call an inquiry into the Finucane murder.
"The British government writes the rules to suit its own strategic interests," he said.
The SDLP said no-one except those associated with paramilitarism had anything to fear from the forthcoming IMC report.
The party's senior negotiator, Dr Seán Farren said: "We all know that the IMC will uncover widespread paramilitary activity by all republican and loyalist groups.
"All this activity has got to end if we are going to get the institutions up and running again. That is the simple reality."
Both governments are entitled to publish the IMC report and a statement from the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, said he would submit the report to Cabinet on Tuesday "with a view to early publication".
Mr Paul Murphy, the Northern Secretary, is expected to make a statement to the House of Commons.
It is expected that publication of the report will be co-ordinated in both Dublin and London.