Sinn Fein yesterday criticised remarks by Mr Proinsias De Rossa which endorsed the principle of consent and appeared to favour an elected conciliation conference as the best way to find a political solution in the North.
Mr De Rossa is the leader of Democratic Left and Minister for Social Welfare.
As the latest opinion poll findings indicated that only a minority of Northern Catholics in the poll sample would favour a united Ireland solution over a range of alternatives, speculation has grown that the Mitchell Commission's report next week will attempt to link the credibility of arms decommissioning undertakings firmly to acceptance of the consent principle.
Meanwhile, the minority IRSP the political wing old the INLA claimed to have been leaked information that an early draft recommendation by Senator Mitchell suggested a start to decommissioning of weapons at the same time as the beginning of all party talks.
In a statement expressing concern about comments made in Belfast on Wednesday by Mr De Rossa, the Sinn Fein vice president, Mr Pat Doherty, said there should be no yet accorded to any section of the Irish people.
He said the basis of the peace process was the principle of agreement reached through inclusive, democratic dialogue, negotiating an agreed settlement "among all the Irish people Mr De Rossa's comments, he claimed, supported a predetermined outcome.
"On the unionist and British proposal for an elected assembly, his support for a position which runs counter to the stated position of his Government will cause confusion and worry to nationalists," Mr Doherty said.
The third section of a Belfast Telegraph opinion poll, published yesterday, gave the results of a question offering respondents a choice of a range of political options for the North's future.
It indicated that 39 per cent of Catholic's sampled, and 37 per cent of the SDLP supporters among them, favoured solutions involving the North becoming part of the Republic. Seventy per cent of Sinn Fein supporters in the sample, however, selected these options.
Of several options involving the North remaining part of the UK, with continuing direct rule or different forms of internal government, 38 per cent of Protestants and 28 per cent of Catholic's sampled preferred the option involving a power sharing government between unionists and nationalists.
Broken down in terms of party allegiance, 52 per cent of Alliance supporters chose this option, 41 per cent of UUP supporters, 34 per cent of SDLP supporters, IS per cent of DUP supporters and 12 per cent of Sinn Fein supporters.
The IRSP claimed yesterday to have learned from republican sources "close to those engaged in the process" that the decommissioning body was considering linking the "surrender" of weapons under the supervision of non governmental organisations to inclusion in all party talks.
It also suggested that a draft report was already in the hands of both the British and Irish governments.
However, the International Body said in a statement earlier this week that it would conclude its hearings and consultations today, and begin its deliberations during the weekend prior to drafting its report for submission to the two governments. The report is due to be published at a press conference in Belfast on Wednesday morning.
Maol Muire Tynan, Political Reporter, writes
Following the suggestions in Belfast by Mr De Rossa, that an elected conciliation conference could present the best way forward in Northern Ireland, Fianna Fail has claimed that the Government is now speaking in "two different voices" on the issue.
A spokesman for Mr De Rossa insisted last night, however, that such a body "could absolutely not be a substitute for all party talks". The proposal to set up a conference was put forward by Democratic Left some weeks ago as a means of promoting reconciliation, he added.
Fianna Fail's spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Ray Burke, who described Mr De Rossa as having no official function in relation to Northern Ireland, said the Minister was incorrect in his judgment.
"He is wrong because the real difficulty is the unionist reluctance to engage in North South bodies that reflect the Irish dimension so vital to nationalists and to negotiate an agreement on future relationships in Ireland, which was central to the Downing Street Declaration, which in turn under pins the peace", Mr Burke said.