Sinn Fein negotiator Mr Gerry Kelly has insisted imminent proposals aimed at overcoming problems with the implementation of the Belfast Agreement should not diverge from the 1998 accord. The proposals are being drawn up by the British and Irish governments.
Mr Kelly's comments came as the parties in the North await the make-or-break document, which is expected to be forwarded within the next 10 days. A deal must be struck by early August to prevent the suspension of the political institutions or the staging of fresh Assembly elections.
Mr Kelly claimed yesterday that last week's negotiations in Weston Park, Shropshire, which tackled the issues of policing, demilitarisation, the stability of the institutions and IRA arms, amounted to the British government and unionists trying to rewrite the Belfast Agreement.
Mr Kelly also rounded on the Ulster Unionists' "obsession" with IRA arms following comments from the Lagan Valley MP, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, that IRA weapons must be destroyed before any further moves on RUC reform or demilitarisation by the British army. Talks sources indicated that the SDLP was close to agreeing terms with the British government on police reform, but other areas remained under negotiation.
Decommissioning remains the central issue, with one insider remarking that a feature of the talks was "Sinn Fein asking a lot of questions but no one was allowed to ask them any". It is now thought the IRA could make a move on arms in the form of the sealing of a number of bunkers, but this would occur after the August 12th deadline.
In a statement yesterday, UUP Assembly member Dr Esmond Birnie said it was "vitally important" the proposed document from the governments did nothing to undermine further the morale of serving police officers. Dr Birnie claimed that making the force more acceptable to nationalists would give it an unacceptable political bias. "Mr Blair must remember that for a section of the republican community, no police force will ever be acceptable, for they regard the police as the first line of the British presence in this part of Ireland."
Meanwhile, UUP anti-agreement Assembly member Mr Peter Weir urged the governments not to strike a secret deal to rescue the peace process. He said the public had the right to see the full contents of any package drawn up.
The British government was last night reported to be considering the appointment of an international judge to consider if inquiries should be held into a series of high-profile murders.
The cases of Catholic Robert Hamill and solicitors Rosemary Nelson and Pat Finucane would be studied under the proposal, as well as the killings of two top RUC men, a judge and his wife and loyalist commander Billy Wright, according to BBC Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Office refused to comment on the claim.
Procedural legislation enabling the Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr John Reid, to call fresh elections to the Assembly was passing through the House of Commons last night, adds Rachel Donnelly from London.
The Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) Order provides for Assembly elections to take place up to 2003 or earlier if required.
Tabling the "precautionary" order earlier this month following the resignation of the First Minister, Mr David Trimble, Dr Reid said it did not indicate new elections would take place. It is understood the British government has not ruled out suspending the Assembly.