AS the British government and Sinn Fein appeared to edge cautiously yesterday towards reconciling their conflicting concerns, speculation focused on the degree of movement needed to prompt a renewal of the IRA ceasefire.
Amid a series of contradictory assessments and rumours, the impression persisted that circumstances were developing which would challenge the IRA to formally call off hostilities and open the way for Sinn Fein's participation in all party negotiations on June 10th.
Last night, hopes were cent red on reports that the British Prime Minister, Mr Major, will make a keynote speech this week which could meet Sinn Fein's call for assurances that the negotiations will be meaningful and comprehensive.
The Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, appeared to prepare the ground for this yesterday, when he said the talks would have an open agenda "with nothing preordained, nothing ruled out and nothing ruled in".
Sinn Fein's national chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, afterwards admitted that this might indicate a shift in the British government's stance.
Mr McLaughlin said Sir Patrick's comments were significant and could represent a positive development if in fact, they opened up the possibility of a meaningful discussion on political and constitutional change.
Earlier yesterday, the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, criticised weekend speculation in some British media that the IRA was preparing to announce a new cessation.
Mr Adams said in a statement: "In my opinion there is little basis for the speculation, fuelled mainly by British government sources, that a renewal of the IRA cessation is, at this time, imminent."
However, while he said that ceasefire speculation was "most unhelpful", the Sinn Fein president did not contradict the admission by his colleague, Mr Martin McGuinness, on Sunday that peace must be restored to ensure "real and meaningful negotiations".
Sinn Fein continues to insist on the need for "cast iron guarantees" from the British government on the forthcoming talks. Its leaders have repeatedly sought assurances that decommissioning will not be made an obstacle to progress in the negotiations. They have also begun to highlight their insistence on an agreed time frame for the negotiations.
Meanwhile, powerful new pressure has been brought to bear on both Sinn Fein and the IRA in statements by senior US political figures.
Former Congressman, Mr Bruce Morrison, who was influential in brokering the last IRA cessation, told the BBC that the IRA would be squarely to blame if Sinn Fein was not at the all party talks.
Senator Chris Dodd, chairman of the Democratic Party, said until the ceasefire was renewed he would advise President Clinton against extending visas or other concessions to Sinn Fein leaders. He warned: "It is very important that members of the IRA understand that no President will want to pick up this issue again if we don't make this opportunity work."
Ulster Unionist security spokesman, Mr Ken Maginnis, said it was not in the IRA's interest to have another ceasefire "even to open a window of political opportunity, because as soon as they break that they will be further discredited in the eyes of international opinion".
The DUP deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson, said: "We wouldn't be surprised if a tactical cessation of violence was called by the IRA. But it would be no more meaningful than the last one, which was called for purely tactical reasons.