British and Irish government officials will this week continue their efforts to find a new formula to break the decommissioning-devolution deadlock, notwithstanding Saturday's Ulster Unionist Council meeting which saw Mr David Trimble's leadership damaged but not destroyed.
Sir Reg Empey, a senior ally of Mr Trimble, said that irrespective of Saturday's votes pro-agreement unionists would continue to seek an "honourable compromise" with Sinn Fein that could see the issue of IRA decommissioning settled once and for all.
On Saturday at acrimonious meetings of the council the anti-Belfast Agreement bloc in the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) sent a sharp message to Mr Trimble and the two governments that it would aggressively combat any further attempt to compromise the principle of no guns, no government.
The council delegates by 457 votes (57 per cent) returned Mr Trimble as leader against the challenge of the South Belfast MP, the Rev Martin Smyth, who polled strongly, taking 348 votes (43 per cent).
Anti-agreement unionists immediately insisted that the clear message was that Mr Trimble must not deviate from the demand for prior IRA decommissioning before the UUP would re-enter government with Sinn Fein.
Mr Trimble's opportunity for political manoeuvre appeared to be further limited by the passing of a motion from London PR consultant Mr David Burnside linking any resumption of the executive to the retention of the RUC title.
An amendment from Mr Trimble seeking to weaken Mr Burnside's motion was lost by 384 votes (53 per cent) to 338 votes (47 per cent).
While Mr Trimble won the leadership vote none in the anti-agreement side was prepared to pledge continuing loyalty to him. Mr Smyth said he would work with Mr Trimble but only if he adhered to the policy of no IRA guns, no Sinn Fein in the executive.
These comments were echoed by senior figures in the No camp such as MPs Mr William Ross and Mr Jeffrey Donaldson. Saturday's vote was viewed as particularly significant for Mr Donald son, who sided with Mr Smyth and who is said to have ambitions to topple Mr Trimble.
Mr Donaldson told the BBC: "I'm sure that the leader will reflect on what has happened today and we will have no more talk of going into government without arms upfront."
Mr Trimble is understood to have been personally bruised by the votes. However, he described the leadership vote as a "comfortable majority". He said he was not "shattered" by Mr Smyth's strong performance and was not "shackled" by the RUC motion.
In Washington on St Patrick's Day Mr Trimble said he could accommodate a sequencing arrangement that would see Sinn Fein in government ahead of IRA decommissioning but based on firm guarantees that decommissioning would follow.
British and Irish officials this week resume their efforts to devise a blueprint around the concept of further sequencing. One potential proposal is understood to be centred on the idea of the IRA effectively declaring that its war is over, to be followed by the resumption of the executive and later by some IRA move on arms.
So far, the republican movement, which has its own internal problems similar to those in the UUP, is said to be totally against any concession on decommissioning. Nonetheless, the two governments are exploring whether there is any possibility of movement in this area.
Sir Reg Empey said he could not comment on any notional sequencing proposals until it was clearly established if the republican movement had anything to offer. But he insisted that despite Saturday's result the UUP was not "hamstrung" and was still dedicated to ending the impasse.
"I believe there are honourable compromises out there and hope that people will work with us to find those compromises," he said.
Sinn Fein placed the responsibility back at the door of Mr Trimble. "The onus is now on David Trimble to end the stalling and begin to lead his party in a positive and constructive manner," said party chairman Mr Mitchel McLaughlin.
The SDLP deputy leader, Mr Seamus Mallon, said the time might be coming where the pro-agreement wing of unionism severed itself from the anti-agreement bloc. "What should not be allowed to happen is the pro-agreement element of unionism destroyed by the demands of the anti-agreement section of that party," he told RTE.
The Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, said it was still possible to break the political logjam. He appealed to republicans to make some gesture to demonstrate that the "war really is over".
He also claimed the UUP had done a great disservice to the police by politicising the issue of the RUC name. The UUP MP for Strangford, Mr John Taylor, who supported the Burnside motion, said Mr Mandelson's comments were "despicable".
