A verbal war has broken out between the Ulster Unionist Party and the SDLP over the implementation of last month's agreement on government departments and North-South bodies.
When a report on the deal is presented to the Northern Ireland Assembly on January 18th, the UUP wishes members simply to "take note" of its contents, whereas the SDLP seeks to have the proposed new departments and bodies formally approved and accepted.
The Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon of the SDLP, threw down the gauntlet yesterday at Stormont when he said there would be "an air of unreality" about "taking note" of something which had already been agreed.
He recalled that the first meeting of the Assembly last July had passed a resolution requiring himself and the First Minister, Mr David Trimble of the UUP, to make proposals to the Assembly for new government structures. He hoped to meet Mr Trimble today.
Commenting afterwards, senior UUP sources said Mr Mallon's comments were not helpful.
The UUP was not going to do anything which would result in the automatic establishment of the Northern Ireland executive.
The party was taking legal advice on the issue.
It would not be triggering the allocation of ministerial posts under the d'Hondt principles of proportionality until there had been IRA decommissioning.
There was angry reaction from Sinn Fein to a claim by the UUP Assembly member, Mr Michael McGimpsey, that an executive could be established without the republicans. The party chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, said unionists should go back and read the agreement. He added: "There can be no executive without Sinn Fein. There can be no Assembly without Sinn Fein. There can be no progress without Sinn Fein."
There was said to be mounting annoyance in UUP circles at the "gutlessness" of the SDLP, allegedly manifested by its reluctance to face up to Sinn Fein on decommissioning and insist on "an administration free from the politics of threat".
Speaking to reporters earlier, Mr Mallon said the parties did not have the luxury of choosing between "taking note" of the report and adopting proposals, and they were obliged to take the latter course.
"The resolution that was passed by the Assembly on July 1st requires the First and Deputy First Minister to consider and, after consultation, make proposals," he said.
He continued: "There has been agreement between the First and Deputy First Minister in relation to the departments and the North-South bodies. That agreement has been made public. Actually the Order in Council has been written in relation to the departments.
"So there would be an air of unreality about debating and taking note of something which has already been publicly agreed. It would also in my view be counter to the resolution that requires us to make proposals."
Asked if he were growing impatient with the view that the political survival of the current UUP leadership was the decisive factor at this time, Mr Mallon said: "I have been very patient indeed in relation to the difficulties that other political parties have had, but I don't have any responsibility towards the Ulster Unionist Party.
"I would hope that in the coming months the notion of the sturdy, independent Ulster-man who can stand on his own feet can be clearly seen in political terms as well as other terms."
He said it was a matter of debate as to whether a formal vote adopting the Trimble-Mallon proposals would automatically lead to the establishment of the shadow executive.