There were strong indications last night that the Ulster Unionist Party would come to the Stormont talks next Tuesday to prosecute its indictment of Sinn Fein on the charge of breaching the Mitchell Principles.
The UUP wants Sinn Fein expelled ein from the talks on two grounds: the IRA's statement in An Phoblacht that it would have "problems" with the Mitchell Principles; and the UUP's claim that the IRA was responsible for the Markethill bomb.
However, it is understood that the UUP will have to be at the table to press its case against Sinn Fein. Senior unionists said it was a "tactical judgment".
The UTV Live news programme reported last night that the UUP would make its decision at the Northern Ireland Forum today.
The indictment will place the two governments in an awkward position. They will not wish to see the expulsion of Sinn Fein, which could bring an immediate end to the IRA ceasefire. But if they leave themselves open to the charge of being soft on the Mitchell Principles, they will come under fire from unionists.
There was further criticism of the UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, by the Rev Ian Paisley. Dismissing Mr Trimble's claim that he was going to expose the republicans, not negotiate with them, Dr Paisley told BBC Radio Ulster: "The rules bind everyone in the talks that they will do their very best to find accommodation and find agreement."
He said Mr Trimble had now changed his mind on his mandate "and for the first time in history the unionists have said `yes, we can sit at the table with armed gunmen and negotiate the union' ".
The Rev William McCrea of the DUP accused the Ulster Unionists of treachery because they were at the talks. "I will not deceive the people into believing that the present talks are about saving the Union. Rather it is known that its aim is the very opposite, i.e., the destruction of the United Kingdom," he said in a statement.
The leader of the UK Unionist Party, Mr Robert McCartney rejected claims that he was "running scared" of the talks. He said he would not negotiate "down the barrel of a gun". He claimed the two governments had a predetermined outcome for the talks which would override the principle of consent.
Meanwhile, Sinn Fein's chief negotiator, Mr Martin McGuinness and the party's vice-president, Mr Pat Doherty, led a delegation to meet republican prisoners at the H-Blocks and Maghaberry.
"I was impressed with the support they gave for the peace process and the emphasis they put on finding a peace settlement above and beyond their own circumstances," Mr McGuinness said later.
He added: "I gave them an assurance that their release and the transfer and release of prisoners from England was a priority for us and that there could not be a peace settlement without the release of all political prisoners."
The UUP leader was accused of hypocrisy by a Sinn Fein councillor for North Belfast, Mr Bobby Lavery. "I watched David Trimble arrive at Stormont yesterday flanked by the PUP and UDP who are representatives of those who killed my brother and later my son. Mr Trimble has no difficulty talking with or making alliances with these groups," Mr Lavery told a press conference.
The Workers' Party president, Mr Tom French, said "the overwhelming demand of the people of Northern Ireland is for their political representatives to engage in the talks process and the search for a new political agreement".
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, has accused Mr Trimble of cynicism in trying to have Sinn Fein indicted at the talks, but added: "If that's his ticket into the room, then we'll suffer him on this."
He said he was looking forward to hearing Mr Trimble's views on "the future of this island" and said he also wanted to discuss with him Sinn Fein's ideas about Irish unity, and ask about the unionist leader's "objections and problems" with that.