Sinn Féin has criticised the SDLP for what it claims is that party's advocating of new preconditions for the restoration of powers to Stormont and the holding of elections to the Assembly in May.
Mr Martin McGuinness, Sinn Féin's chief negotiator, said yesterday: "I was astounded by Seamus Mallon's comments in the British parliament during which he proposed new preconditions for elections and the re-establishment of the political institutions. These comments were particularly reckless at this delicate point in negotiations."
The criticism was rejected by Mr Alex Attwood, the SDLP chairman, who denied that Mr Mallon had called for new conditions. "Any serious reading of Hansard confirms this," he said.
Referring to Mr Mallon's speech in the House of Commons during a debate on policing reforms, Mr McGuinness claimed: "Seamus Mallon's suggestion that Sinn Féin acceptance of current policing arrangements should now be a precondition to the re-establishment of the political institutions is outrageous and shows the SDLP's nervousness over the elections and about their acceptance of inadequate policing arrangements."
He repeated that Sinn Féin would not "sign on for policing until we get policing right".
"We have made progress on policing but we are continuing to push for movement on plastic bullets, the Special Branch, representatives and the transfer of powers on policing from London to Belfast," he said.
But Mr Attwood hit back. "Neither the SDLP nor Seamus Mallon has laid down preconditions," he said.
"For Sinn Féin to respond in such an exaggerated manner to Seamus Mallon's comments in the House of Commons demonstrates that they are anxious and doubtful about their own position on policing."
Mr Attwood, who is also the SDLP policing spokesman, added: "Seamus Mallon essentially said that it is now time to get all the business done around all of the issues of the agreement and that includes Sinn Féin taking their seats on the board."
Sinn Féin is due to discuss policing at its ardfheis in Dublin on Sunday.