THE British and Irish Governments appeared deadlocked last night on key issues in preparation for the all party negotiations due, "to start on June 10th.
More than four hours of talks in London between the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, and the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, failed to produce agreement on the agenda, procedures or chairmanships for the negotiations - or on how the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons is to be dealt with.
Confirming continuing disagreement between London and Dublin on the implementation of the Mitchell Report, Sir Patrick bluntly warned: "If there is to be no decommissioning of weapons, then the talks process will fail."
But on a night of conflicting signals, it emerged that Mr David Trimble, the Ulster Unionist leader, is expected to meet Senator George Mitchell to discuss his possible role in the process.
The Irish Times understands the proposal for the meeting followed Mr Trimble's recent letter to President Clinton and a reply from Mr Anthony Lake, Mr Clinton's national security adviser.
As reported in The Irish Times last week, it is thought Mr Mitchell might meet Mr Trimble and representatives of other Northern parties between the May 30th poll and ahead of the June 10th talks.
And as speculation hardened at Westminster that Mr Mitchell could be invited to oversee the talks, Mr Spring confirmed his possible involvement had been discussed at yesterday's meeting of the Anglo Irish Inter Governmental Conference. The Tanaiste said Mr Mitchell was highly respected, and he believed the two governments were "very close" on this subject.
Mr Spring and Sir Patrick insisted there was "much common ground" and they confirmed they will meet again next Wednesday to resume the search for a formula guaranteeing "inclusive" talks.
The Tanaiste and the Northern Secretary reaffirmed "the hope of both governments that there will be an unequivocal restoration of the IRA ceasefire, thus allowing Sinn Fein to participate in the all party negotiations.
But Mr Spring had evidently failed to put sufficient flesh on Mr John Major's assurance that the negotiations will not be blocked by disputes over decommissioning. And Sir Patrick, at a separate press conference, defined more starkly than before the continuing differences between the two governments on how the decommissioning issue should be addressed.
Asked if he could give Sinn Fein a categorical assurance that the talks would not be bogged down over decommissioning, Mr Spring replied: "In terms of giving assurances, we have to give assurances to all sides because we want all sides to come with us in the process we are undertaking. And we are working... to find agreement between the governments in relation to the whole construction of negotiations on the 10th of June, and that is what we are going to continue to do."
Clearly determined that the precise arrangements for the negotiations should be agreed and settled in advance, the Tanaiste said: "It is my firm conviction that there is no room for fudging". The two governments needed to have a clear understanding of all the issues before June 10th.
Sir Patrick, meanwhile, said: "I think it has been clearly recognised for some time that there is a difference of view between the two governments as to whether, decommissioning should be sought during the course of negotiations, or perhaps only at the end or thereafter. And that is something which remains to be resolved."
But Irish sources later said Sir Patrick was wrong to suggest that the difference of view rested on whether decommissioning occur during or at the end of the talks process - Dublin had fully accepted the Mitchell Report, and the need was for agreement on how it could be implemented.
Sir Patrick declined to discuss Mr Mitchell's possible involvement in the process. But informed sources at Westminster were speculating last night that he could be invited to chair the "ongoing plenary sessions" of the all party negotiations, as distinct from any particular strand.