Mr George Mitchell, the former US senator who played a central role in moves that led to the Belfast Agreement yesterday forecast that the process would stay on track.
He also underlined his confidence that the end-of-month deadline for establishing cross-Border institutions as part of the agreement would be met.
But Mr Mitchell, speaking in Dublin, where he received an honorary degree at the American College, said it was "unrealistic" to think the accord could go forward without different interpretations or controversies and difficulties.
Mr Mitchell, who chaired the marathon multi-party talks that led to the peace deal, said he believed the parties would find a way through their present problems.