Northern Ireland's politicians were tonight facing the possibility of having to accept or reject a British and Irish government deal on reviving power sharing and solving the policing issue.
Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, continued discussions with the Northern Ireland parties at St Andrews, but were also preparing a paper outlining their plan for how to advance the peace process.
With Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams and Democratic Unionist leader The Reverend Ian Paisley facing the biggest judgment calls in the intensive negotiations, the clear message from Downing Street and Dublin was if they had to make their own call on moving the process forward, they would.
Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesperson observed: "What I detect is two things. "The first is a willingness on the part of both parties to move on the issues of power sharing and the rule of law.
"The second is a caution on the part of both parties that the other ain't going to deliver. Caution is understandable but caution is not going to get a final settlement. We have to understand caution but we may have to come up with proposals that address that caution."
Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionists have essentially been engaged in a negotiating stand-off over the past two days over which party should move first in the choreography of any deal.
The Reverend Ian Paisley's DUP wants Sinn Fein to state clearly that it will support the Police Service of Northern Ireland and encourage its community to work with the police.
Sinn Fein, for its part, believes it cannot recommend to young republicans to join the PSNI unless there is a commitment from the DUP first to share power at Stormont and to set a date for the transfer of policing powers from Westminster to a devolved government.
In his only appearance since the negotiations got under way yesterday, the Reverend Ian Paisley was adamant that Sinn Fein would have to come up to the mark on accepting policing.
"We are not putting before them an ultimatum from the DUP, from unionists," the North Antrim MP said. "We are putting before them an ultimatum for democrats."
"Those who want to serve in the government of a democracy must totally and absolutely support the police at every level and must be seen to be supporting the police."
In a direct challenge to Sinn Fein he continued: "Why should you be special? Why do you insist on making support for the police a bargaining chip? We are not going to bargain on that. It is not up for grabs. You have to do it."
Sinn Fein chief negotiator, Martin McGuinness, said the DUP's leader The Reverend Ian Paisley had to play his part in resolving the policing issue. "Ian Paisley has to recognise that the argument we have made, for some considerable time, that powers be transferred to a locally elected and
accountable administration, that that must happen," the Mid-Ulster MP said.
"It cannot happen without his support. "I suppose in many ways to put it simply we need his help.
"He needs our help and we are certainly willing to help him but what I want to see in the coming hours as we move to the completion of these talks tomorrow is Ian Paisley recognising the importance of helping us with the issues that we need help on.
"We certainly need the institutions restored. We need to agree, for example, the shape of the department which will deal with justice and policing and we need a time frame for the transfer of powers."