MR GERRY ADAMS will meet Sir Patrick Mayhew at Stormont this morning to hear further clarification of the British Prime Minister's proposal for elections in the North.
The hastily arranged meeting, set up last night at the request of the British government, comes on the eve of the Sinn Fein president's departure tomorrow for a five day visit to the United States.
Yesterday, Senator George Mitchell said President Clinton indicated the US wanted to see all party talks take place "as scheduled". Senator Mitchell yesterday met Mr Clinton and said afterwards: "The President said he hoped the parties would reach agreement and allow the talks to take place as scheduled."
Mr Mitchell was speaking outside the White House after briefing the President, at Mr Clinton's request, about the report of the international body on arms decommissioning which he chaired.
Mr Mitchell's comments are the first indication that the White House will continue to press for the all party talks to take place as originally proposed, despite the impasse in the peace process.
Meanwhile, Anglo Irish officials are meeting in Dublin today to revive the twin track process, as the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, prepares to persuade the Northern Secretary to abandon plans for an election to an assembly as a forerunner to all party talks.
In spite of London's apparent determination to stick by plans for such elections, the Government appears confident that the February deadline for talks can still be reached.
In Dublin, it is hoped Senator Mitchell's statement that all party negotiations should begin as scheduled will put additional pressure on the British government to soften its insistence on the new precondition.
At his meeting with Mr Adams this morning, Sir Patrick is expected to address republican and nationalist fears that Mr Major is following a unionist agenda and that an electoral process might further delay all party talks, bringing about a return to a Stormonttype assembly.
Sir Patrick said earlier yesterday there had been a lot of misunderstanding about the election process and elected body Mr Major had in mind.
Sinn Fein said in a statement it would go into this morning's meeting "to listen to what the British government has to say", and it would outline its "implacable opposition" to the election proposal.
A Sinn Fein spokesman accused the British of unilaterally dumping the Mitchell report, the twin track approach and the February date for all party talks. He said: "We will be telling the British government that it should drop its precondition of an IRA surrender and that it should also withdraw this election diversion.
"Given the completion of the Mitchell report there is nothing other than deliberate stalling to prevent the commencement of all party talks by the end of February, the date promised by both governments."
In another crucial meeting later today, the SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, and the deputy leader, Mr Seamus Mallon, will seek clarification of British policy in direct talks with Mr Major in London.
The SDLP delegation plans to spell out its strong opposition to the idea of elections and will ask Mr Major for specific details of his proposal. Neither the form of the election nor the nature and function of the elected body have been outlined. British ministers have said these aspects need to be discussed with the parties in the political track of the twin track process.
Mr Hume yesterday repeated his argument that elections would unduly prolong the run up to all party talks and that, instead, the Mitchell report on decommissioning should be adopted and used to achieve the February deadline for inclusive negotiations.
Following the meeting between officials today, the Tanaiste and the Northern Secretary will hold an inter governmental meeting in London on Thursday to review the damage done to the twin track approach following the Mitchell report.