Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble today offered an olive branch to his party critics by urging them to think again about their revolt against his policies.
As the UUP prepared for a potentially explosive meeting this Saturday of its 900-member ruling council, the former Stormont First Minister welcomed proposals from the British and Irish governments to set up a four-member commission to monitor the Belfast Agreement and paramilitary ceasefires.
The Upper Bann MP also urged three colleagues - Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, the Reverend Martin Smyth and Mr David Burnside - who resigned the party whip at Westminster in June in a row over the commission, to "take this opportunity to sort things out and see things in a different light.
"Anybody can see what was being described in June as a breach of a fundamental principle of unionism is addressed," Mr Trimble argued.
"Those who called Saturday's meeting now owe the rest of us a duty to reflect. If any of those concerned want to have a chat with me about how we can deal with the situation they are welcome."
Ulster Unionists will gather this Saturday in Belfast's Ulster Hall to debate attempts by Mr Trimble's supporters to discipline the three rebel MPs.
Mr Donaldson, the Rev Smyth and Mr Burnside resigned the party whip in June in protest at their party's failure to reject British and Irish Government proposals for the implementation of the Belfast Agreement.