DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley has given his first indication that he could sign up to a specific timetable for transferring policing and justice powers to the Northern Executive, which is the key Sinn Féin requirement for endorsing policing.
Dr Paisley said in his New Year statement that the DUP will "not be found wanting" if Sinn Féin delivers on its commitments on policing and the rule of law.
The DUP leader however, who faces pressures from his own hardliners, did not make any firm commitment that he would enter into a powersharing government by the deadline of March 26th if a prospective Sinn Féin ardhfeis later this month endorsed the PSNI.
More negatively, he also warned that Sinn Féin's "begrudging movement will only serve to delay opportunities available to us in the incoming months of 2007".
But in what could be informal tick-tacking with the British and Irish governments, but more particularly with Sinn Féin, he signalled that it could now be possible to address the "when" of establishing a department of justice in the North - which is Sinn Féin's central outstanding demand on policing.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has made clear that for an ardfheis to proceed later this month he needs assurances from the DUP, an implicit reference to a timetable for transferring policing and justice powers.
While the British and Irish governments will find comfort in Dr Paisley's statement, they will require more from him in the days and short weeks ahead to persuade Mr Adams to press ahead with the ardfheis this month.
Said a senior talks source last night, "there is still some sounding out going on on all of this, and more work to be done. We still have a few days to try and get this over the line."
Dr Paisley said the agreement on policing forged between the British government and Sinn Féin over Christmas had now altered the context of when justice powers could be transferred. In his statement the word "when" was printed in bold.
Under this agreement, which is based on a streamlined version of a DUP proposal tabled last month, neither the DUP nor Sinn Féin could take the justice department up until 2011 at the earliest. The St Andrews Agreement target for establishing a department of justice is May 2008, which the governments say is achievable.
Said Dr Paisley: "As a consequence of our proposals for policing and justice we have changed the context of the debate on when policing and justice powers are devolved by proposing that the minister be appointed by a cross-community vote rather than by the d'Hondt system."
And significantly, he added, "The DUP proposal, while acknowledging that the Assembly needs some time to bed in, put no restrictions on when the powers could be devolved. This is achievable with delivery.
"Sinn Féin must honour their commitments. It is action not words that count. When they do so the DUP will not be found wanting. If the [ British] government believes its timetable is achievable, they would do well to press, with us, on Sinn Féin to deliver in a real and meaningful way."
Dr Paisley also appeared to warn hardliners within his party, such as MEP Jim Allister and the Rev William McCrea, that recent inflexible statements by them could wreck the prospects of achieving a cross-community political deal in which Sinn Féin historically endorses the police.
"For the first time in our history, republicans are contemplating support for the police and the courts in Northern Ireland. Let no words discourage them," he said.
"Gerry Adams has asked that the government and the unionists respond to Sinn Féin's latest 'initiative' positively. Unionists stand ready to respond but have been denied opportunity because we must have something of substance to which we can respond."
