The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, has decided that he still wants to confront Sinn Fein in next month's review of the Belfast Agreement, despite his criticism of the Northern Secretary's judgment that the IRA had not broken its ceasefire.
The Northern Secretary's announcement yesterday provoked widespread unionist anger, but while Mr Trimble effectively deplored her decision not to penalise IRA prisoners by delaying releases, he is keeping faith with the idea of an inclusive review involving Sinn Fein beginning on Monday week.
Mr Trimble's stance will provide considerable relief for the British and Irish governments and offer some reassurance to Dr Mowlam that in the face of a barrage of criticism her gamble was worthwhile.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms Liz O'Donnell, said yesterday the Government shared and supported Dr Mowlam's assessment that "in terms of an overall judgment, the IRA ceasefire has not broken down".
Mr Trimble said Dr Mowlam should have considered halting prisoner releases. He described her adjudication as "deeply flawed" and "deeply disappointing".
He added, however, that he would use the review to put pressure on all the paramilitary groups and Sinn Fein.
In measured language, Mr Trimble said: "The republican movement now must seriously consider what it is going to do to convince the people that there is any prospect of leaving violence behind. And what it must take on board very clearly is that it is not going to progress any further down the political path unless it does that."
Dr Mowlam said she was in no doubt that the IRA was involved in the murder of the Belfast taxi worker, Mr Charles Bennett, and that there was "clear information" about the organisation being implicated in the foiled Florida gunrunning operation.
She said: "Although the situation in relation to the IRA is deeply worrying, I do not believe that there is sufficient basis to conclude that the IRA ceasefire has broken down.
"Nor do I believe that it is disintegrating or that these recent events represent a decision by the organisation to return to violence," she said. "The peace we have now is imperfect, but better than none." Dr Mowlam said there had been no direct or indirect contact between the British government and the IRA that had compelled her to reach her decision. Equally, Mr Martin McGuinness's warning that Sinn Fein might boycott next month's review if IRA prisoner releases were suspended did not influence her determination, she said.
The early release of republican and loyalist paramilitary prisoners will now continue. According to the Northern prison service, there are about 65 IRA prisoners still in the Maze.
The Sinn Fein chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, said Dr Mowlam could have taken no other decision. The focus now should be on nationalists and unionists reaching an accommodation.
On Saturday week in Dublin the Sinn Fein ardchomhairle is due to decide whether to participate in the review chaired by the former US senator, Mr George Mitchell. In the light of Dr Mowlam's gamble in not penalising the IRA and Mr McLaughlin's comments, it would seem unlikely that the party would pull out of the review.
Mr Nigel Dodds, the DUP Assembly member for North Belfast, said: "This is a sad day for Northern Ireland when people can be murdered and no sanction is applied to those who carry out those murders."
Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, the anti-agreement UUP MP, said Dr Mowlam had lost all credibility.
