Republicans would not allow either the publication or the production of photographs of IRA decommissioning, the Sinn Féin president, Mr Gerry Adams, has strongly indicated.
The chances of a comprehensive deal deteriorated last night after it became apparent that the issue of photographic verification of IRA disarmament was a potential deal-breaker for both republicans and the DUP.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, are nonetheless due in Belfast today where senior sources say they will publish their blueprint for re-establishing the Northern executive and Assembly.
In the meantime there was continuing high-level contact involving Mr Ahern, Mr Blair, the DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, and Mr Adams and senior British and Irish officials late last night in an 11th-hour attempt to find a compromise around the issue of visual evidence of decommissioning.
Mr Adams at a press conference last night said that republicans would sign up to the political elements of the British and Irish governments' blueprint for restoring devolution, but implied that the IRA would not meet the requirement in the proposals for publication of pictures of disarmament.
The DUP in a statement indicated that republicans must endorse all of the blueprint, including the decommissioning verification proposals. "We have always been told that the comprehensive agreement is not an à la carte menu.
"It is not realistic for Sinn Féin to expect to choose a starter and a pudding and leave out the main course," said a DUP spokesman.
"They must clarify their position on whether they accept the comprehensive agreement in all its parts or not. There can be no smoke and mirrors this time," he added.
Mr Adams disclosed that he and Sinn Féin's chief negotiator, Mr Martin McGuinness, went to the IRA to implicitly urge them to accept the political element of the blueprint. He also indicated that an IRA statement could be forthcoming shortly.
It further emerged yesterday that the IRA has met the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning to discuss disarmament. Mr Adams again suggested that IRA decommissioning could be resolved to the satisfaction of most "reasonable" people.
He said there was an unprecedented opportunity for a comprehensive deal that would see "a historic alliance between the Orange and the Green" and the IRA decommissioning its weapons.
But in an obvious reference to photographs he asked: "Is that going to be squandered because one party has set out this impossible demand that one group should be humiliated?"
Mr Adams said he was prepared to recommend acceptance of the political dimension to the blueprint because its proposals did not alter the fundamentals of the Belfast Agreement.
The Sinn Féin president complained of "a singular focus, particularly by the DUP, on silent IRA arms". He added: "Resolving this issue of arms is a matter for the IICD and the armed groups. Sinn Féin has used whatever influence we have to see guns taken out of Irish politics. Martin McGuinness and I have been to the IRA.
"I am not prepared to go into the detail of these discussions. That organisation will take its own counsel and make its position clear in its own time.
"I do expect that, in the context of a comprehensive agreement, it will deal with issues that are its responsibility.
"I also assume that the first people to be informed of this will be its own membership. I'm not going to speculate on the detail of the IRA position."
