"If Mr Trimble tells me he is going to sustain the institutions I will accept his word. I think that is what it comes down to, that there can be trust between people who want to work together politically in pursuit of stated objectives."
These remarks by Mr Gerry Adams after his meeting with Mr David Trimble last week have fuelled hopes that elections will be held in Northern Ireland based on an agreement to create a working executive afterwards, which would allow the devolved institutions to be restored.
A real window of opportunity exists over the next three weeks to reach such an agreement even though, as the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has cautioned, there is a lot of work still to be done. The two governments believe a breakthrough will depend mainly on an IRA act of decommissioning and a commitment to end all paramilitary activity, followed by a commitment from the Ulster Unionist Party that, with devolution restored, it would not again collapse the institutions of the Belfast Agreement. Hence the significance of Mr Adams's remarks about trust.
Mr Trimble's successful encounter with unionist dissidents earlier this month has strengthened his position and given him more confidence to take the risks involved in reaching such an agreement. That affects the other pro-Agreement parties. Inevitably the main focus is now on Sinn Féin and the IRA to deliver on "acts of completion" with arms decommissioning and political commitments that the violence is over. They must realise that if this is not agreed in the next three weeks the two governments, which have devoted so much time to overcoming the crisis, will not be in a political position to continue so intensively with it. Both Mr Ahern and Mr Blair are under heavy political pressure domestically and Ireland's forthcoming EU presidency will not permit the Government to devote the major effort required to save the situation again. Hence the significance of Mr Ahern's warnings that elections held in a political vacuum without an agreement would push all the parties towards extreme positions. Mr Adams has underlined that "all of the participants in these discussions, including republicans, have crucial contributions to make to any resolution". The British government, he says, has work to do on the Human Rights Commission, equality, policing and demilitarisation. But if there is genuine trust between Sinn Féin and Mr Trimble's party it would be extraordinary if the two governments would not reciprocate. Elections based on an agreement would reinforce the legitimacy of the Belfast Agreement, even if the rough and tumble of campaigning opened old wounds.
Northern Ireland badly needs the stimulus and discipline of renewed political responsibility. There is much useful work awaiting a restored power-sharing executive and it would have widespread goodwill in doing it. That is why it is vital this window of opportunity should be seized.