The Rev Ian Paisley warned yesterday that difficulties over decommissioning remained unresolved and much remained to be done before a deal to restore Stormont could be secured. "We are at a very delicate stage," he cautioned.
Speaking after a one-hour meeting with Gen John de Chastelain at the Belfast headquarters of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, Dr Paisley said a deal hinged on the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair.
He must stick to promises he made concerning the need for total decommissioning before parties could take Executive seats, the DUP leader said.
He was leading a delegation which included his son, Mr Ian Paisley jnr, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, Mr Peter Robinson, Mr Gregory Campbell and Mr Nigel Dodds. If the weapons issue was sorted out to the DUP's satisfaction, Dr Paisley said, "Then we are on our way".
However, he cautioned: "But it isn't yet." Dr Paisley will meet Mr Tony Blair in Downing Street later today, while the Sinn Féin president, Mr Gerry Adams, is also due back at Number 10 tomorrow or Thursday.
Dr Paisley said Mr Blair had to tell Gen de Chastelain what he wanted. "The general then has to talk to the IRA and see are they going to accept or reject what is wanted."
Dr Paisley continued: "So there is a host of things that need to be settled. As far as our own independent man [Gen de Chastelain] is concerned, there's a host of things. He has to be properly safeguarded. He has to be absolutely free [ so that] he can take whatever notes.
"We have to wait to see what is going to happen."
Neither Gen de Chastelain nor his decommissioning body made any comment either before or after the meeting as is customary.
Despite Dr Paisley's warnings, DUP sources privately remain positive.
A series of meetings since Friday at every level inside the party has kept a sense of conditional optimism alive.
Dr Paisley briefed his 32 Assembly colleagues on Friday and his ruling 100-member party executive later that night.
A DUP source at that meeting said: "The delegates arrived upbeat. And they left upbeat."
Private soundings with senior DUP members confirmed this.
Dr Paisley also referred to the developments at a constituency meeting in North Antrim on Saturday where he took a strident line against the IRA.
Republicans should not be allowed back at the negotiating table if current efforts failed, he said.
He warned the British government against any default position that allowed "lying Sinn Féin to have a deal one day, break it the next and be back at the negotiating table the day after".
He concluded: "If they break their word, they're out. Forever."
SDLP members met the Northern Secretary at Stormont yesterday and restated their fears that any deal could prove too much of a departure from the Belfast Agreement.
The party leader, Mr Mark Durkan, said: "We still have concerns that this deal is not as complete or as balanced as some have made out."
He said he told Mr Paul Murphy: " If there is a deal, there is no one who will work to make more positive judgments and to limit any damage done than the SDLP."