Sinn Fein has said no agreement was reached during the talks between President Clinton and the North's main pro-agreement parties at Stormont.
Progress remained to be made on policing and demilitarisation, Mr Gerry Adams stated. "The problems have still to be resolved. From our point of view the key lies in the hands of Mr Blair," he said.
Sinn Fein held separate meetings with President Clinton and Mr Blair yesterday. The party's delegation included Mr Adams, Mr Gerry Kelly, Mr Martin Ferris, Ms Bairbre de Brun, and Mr Martin McGuinness. Mr Adams also held private, one-to-one talks with the President and Mr Blair. Speaking afterwards, Mr Kelly said while the discussions had been worthwhile, a resolution of the current political crisis was no nearer.
"In my opinion we are in a crisis and we need to deal with the issues," said Mr Kelly. He said Mr Blair could be instrumental in ending the deadlock.
The British government had to move on demilitarisation and policing, he added. Mr Kelly stressed that Sinn Fein remained fully committed to the peace process and the Belfast Agreement. He said President Clinton stood "head and shoulders above other American presidents" in his interest in Irish affairs. He understood the issues "much better" than many people thought. President Clinton had "focused the minds" of the North's political parties, Mr Kelly said. He added that Mr George W. Bush would be "an unknown quantity" in his attitude to the peace process.
The SDLP Assembly member, Mr Eddie McGrady, said he hoped President Clinton would put pressure on the British government over its policing reforms. The SDLP was willing to participate in the new police force but not if it was doomed to failure.
The Alliance leader, Mr Sean Neeson, invited President Clinton to continue to play a role in the peace process after his presidential term ends. "The President assured me that he would give this serious consideration and would continue to take an interest in events in Northern Ireland," Mr Neeson said.
After meeting Assembly members at Stormont, President Clinton said he hoped his discussions with parties would help move the peace process forward.
He hoped that whoever succeeded him in the White House would continue to support the Northern Ireland peace process.
Standing beside Mr Blair and the two leaders of the Northern Ireland Executive, Mr Trimble and Mr Mallon, he said: "I think it is important for the US to continue the process."
The President was reluctant to be drawn on whether there would be a new role for him in securing the Northern Ireland peace process after he steps down next month.
He said he would like to return to Northern Ireland but it would not be as President.
As to the question of a US envoy to help the Northern Ireland peace process, he said: "The next administration will have to decide on that."