Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble today made an 11th-hour call for the IRA to begin disarming before he pulls his party's ministers out of the North's government.
Mr Trimble is set to force the Stormont power-sharing executive into suspension when he returns from the United States tomorrow by ordering his party out of the executive because of the IRA's failure to decommission.
But amid reports the republican leadership is on the brink of a historic move on weapons, the former first minister expressed hope that the rumours were true.
Mr Trimble said: "We have been here before, we heard forecast and speculation before and we have been disappointed.
"I hope we are going to see a beginning to the process of decommissioning, I hope it's going to be a good beginning in order to build confidence for the future. People know what they should do so let them get on with it".
The Upper Bann MP defined a significant start to putting weapons beyond use as being "actual decommissioning" verified by Gen John de Chastelain's international disarmament group.
Mr Trimble is in the middle of a four-day visit to Washington to gain support among political representatives and the media for his strategy in Northern Ireland's peace process.
Among those he met was Mr Richard Haass, President Bush's special adviser on Northern Ireland. Mr Trimble also answered criticism of his party after it emerged that some members held secret talks with the loyalist paramilitary Ulster Defence Association's leadership.
Mr Trimble refused to say whether he was made aware of the talks at the time but told BBC Radio Ulsterhis party had met paramilitaries in a bid to secure peace.
PA