The Ulster Unionist Party representatives will not be present when the Sinn Fein delegation arrives at Stormont Castle in Belfast today to sign up to the Mitchell principles of non-violence, which is a requirement for its entry into negotiations.
The UUP yesterday said today's plenary session of the multi-party talks would be "a farce" in which it would play no part. The party's executive committee will meet on Saturday to discuss whether it will attend the full session of talks which begins next week.
A statement from UUP headquarters said it would be wrong to attend today's plenary talks as that would pre-empt the decision of Saturday's meeting. The party said today's meeting would be "a charade" anyway. "The subscription of Sinn Fein to the Mitchell principles will completely lack credibility," it stated.
"Actions matter more than words. Both the Northern Ireland Office and Sinn Fein must realise that actions are necessary in order to build confidence in their statements among the greater number of the community."
However, the UUP executive is expected to recommend the party's continuing involvement in the talks process, although not necessarily support face-to-face discussions with Sinn Fein.
The plenary session of talks is due to begin early this afternoon. The Sinn Fein delegation will gather with the other parties present around the negotiating table in Castle Buildings. Mr Gerry Adams and Mr Martin McGuinness are expected to be part of the republican delegation.
The talks chairman, Mr George Mitchell, will read out the six Mitchell principles of non-violence and ask Sinn Fein if it abides by them. Mr Adams will reply that Sinn Fein accepts the guidelines. The other parties will not be asked as they have already signed up to the principles.
The two governments, the SDLP, Alliance, the Women's Coalition, and the Labour group will be present. The DUP and the UK Unionist Party will boycott the event. It is believed that the fringe loyalist parties will be at Stormont today but it is not known whether they will sit around the table with Sinn Fein.
Loyalist sources said that while the parties wanted to be there, their actions were restricted by hardliners within their own organisations. "They will be at Stormont in some shape or form but I don't know whether they will sit down with Sinn Fein," said one source.
Today's meeting will be mainly a formal occasion. Substantive negotiations will not begin until Monday, although the parties might agree to hold bilateral and multilateral talks during the remainder of the week.
Mr Adams yesterday said he was looking forward to finally entering all-party talks. "Our party wish to be a part of a meaningful and successful process of negotiations. We enter these negotiations as an Irish republican party, on the basis of our electoral mandate and with a commitment to engage energetically in the searching for a lasting peace settlement in Ireland based on justice, equality, freedom and democracy."
A member or the SDLP talks delegation, Mr Tommy Gallagher, was hopeful that the talks would mark a new beginning for the Irish people: "There is now for the first time an opportunity for all voices to be heard in the task of finding a settlement that will deliver justice and equality to all. This is a daunting challenge. "
Sinn Fein yesterday met the North's Minister for Political Development, Mr Paul Murphy. The talks process and British government spending were discussed during the meeting.
The leader of the republican delegation, Mr Gerry Kelly, said Sinn Fein called for the release of paramilitary prisoners, the disbandment of the RUC, and an end to house raids and arrests.
The Ulster Democratic Party, the UDA's political wing, is expected to hold a picket outside Stormont today, claiming that republican prisoners are receiving preferential treatment.