Mr Peter Robinson has attempted to provide assurance that the DUP is genuinely willing to forge a deal with the other parties at Leeds Castle on Friday week despite renewed expressions of concern from Sinn Féin and the SDLP about the DUP's intentions.
DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley's suggestion last week, that even if the IRA decommissioned and effectively disbanded he might not share power with Sinn Féin, continued to cause political anxiety over the weekend.
As the British and Irish governments and the parties engage in another busy week of talks in preparation for Leeds Castle, Sinn Féin warned that Dr Paisley's comments were "hardly a reflection of a party prepared to do business or reach agreement".
Sinn Féin MP for Fermanagh South-Tyrone, Ms Michelle Gildernew, said the DUP must "get real" and respect the Sinn Féin electorate. "There is little evidence in the public pronouncements of the DUP of a recognition of current political realities," she said.
Ms Gildernew added that "recent outbursts" from Dr Paisley were not only negative but "sectarian, provocative and totally unacceptable. The DUP, including their leader, need to come into the 21st century".
"If the DUP want to do a deal - if they want to share power, then that means sharing power with Sinn Féin," she added.
The SDLP Leader, Mr Mark Durkan, warned that the British and Irish governments must not undermine the Belfast Agreement in an attempt to "humour and appease" the DUP. Mr Durkan issued his warning yesterday ahead of scheduled talks at Stormont this week. The Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, is to chair talks tomorrow while the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, is due to meet the parties again on Thursday.
On Friday, possibly in London or at Chequers, near London, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, will assess progress to date and attempt to streamline the agenda for the Leeds Castle negotiations on Friday week.
Mr Durkan expressed concern yesterday about the DUP's bona fides. "Time and again in the talks [last week] we have been told by the British and Irish governments to be generous and open-minded in our approach to the DUP, that they are ready to step up to the mark of inclusive politics," he said.
"However, to date we have seen or heard very little from the DUP that suggests their aim is anything other than the dismantling of the agreement. The two governments need to be very careful to draw a distinction between playing ball with the DUP and playing into the DUP's hands," added Mr Durkan.
The DUP deputy leader, Mr Robinson, in an interview with The Irish Times and other media on Friday evening, insisted that his party wanted Leeds Castle to be successful. He was careful in his language but effectively repudiated Dr Paisley's suggestion that the DUP might not share power with Sinn Féin even if the IRA went out of business.
Mr Robinson, who is to address the Small Firms' Association in Dublin tomorrow, said Dr Paisley was right to be sceptical about whether the IRA was really prepared to disarm.
He added, however, "If there is a fair deal on the table, Ian Paisley will sign up to a fair deal." If a deal were concluded, Mr Robinson said, he hoped that Dr Paisley would take the position of First Minister, although there had been an expectation that that position would go to Mr Robinson.
Of the talks' prospects Mr Robinson said: "None of us can say whether there will be a deal at Leeds Castle. None of us can be sure whether everyone is serious. We all probably doubt each other's seriousness and intent.
"All we can say is that we will be going to Leeds Castle with the intention that if all of the soldiers are in line we will be doing a deal. If they are not then we will not. We are not going to find ourselves in a position where we are going to have to sell something that our heart is not in. If we can't face our electorate and say this is in your interest then we will not be signing up to a deal."
