The Irish and British governments should know by the end of today if they can launch their blueprint on the future of the Northern Ireland peace process.
As the Taoiseach returned from the summit of EU leaders in Athens - where he discussed the latest IRA statement with the British Prime Minister - a Government source said London and Dublin would have to make a call soon.
"I think we will probably have a good idea by the end of today whether the two Prime Ministers will be able to launch their joint declaration," the source said. "Time really is running out".
Mr Blair and Mr Ahern had hoped last Thursday to release proposals for implementing all of the Belfast Agreement.
Their package covers the scaling down of the British army presence in the North, policing, justice, the stability of the power-sharing institutions and a scheme that would enable IRA paramilitary suspects who fled the North to return home without being jailed.
It was hoped the joint declaration would re-establish power-sharing and create the right climate for a ground-breaking statement from the IRA on disarmament and an end to all paramilitary activity.
The IRA has been under pressure since the Northern Ireland Assembly was suspended last October to announce an end to paramilitarism.
Mr David Trimble's Ulster Unionists will not consider a return to power-sharing with Sinn Féin until an IRA statement is issued to their satisfaction.
Following concerns last Thursday that the IRA statement would not be sufficient for the Ulster Unionists to go back into government with Sinn Féin, the two governments were forced to put their plans on hold.
The IRA announced on Sunday, however, that they had passed a final draft of their statement to London and Dublin but both governments have been trying since then to achieve more clarity from the IRA about whether it intends to abandon paramilitarism.
In an interview with An Phoblacht, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams today said he found it "incredible" the governments had not launched their blueprint.
"I have seen and read closely the IRA statement. I can tell you that it is clear and unambiguous. And the importance and enormity of this move should not be lost on the governments," he said.
Mr Trimble, however, claimed yesterday the statement fell "a long way short" of what was required for the restoration of devolution.
PA