MR TONY BLAIR is expected to indicate his commitment to the search for inclusive talks and political agreement with a visit to Northern Ireland later this week.
For security reasons, 10 Downing Street last night refused to comment on the Prime Minister's plans. But the belief at Westminster is that Mr Blair will make a major speech outlining the principles and objectives of his Northern Ireland policy, as reported in last Saturday's Irish Times.
The Prime Minister is expected to combine the demand for a renewed IRA ceasefire with a challenge to the parties at the Stormont talks to move swiftly into substantive negotiations.
The quickening sense of Mr Blair's engagement with the issue further increased after a round of meetings yesterday in which he saw the DUP leader, Rev Ian Paisley, the SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, and the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble.
Mr Blair, who was accompanied at the talks by the Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, is planning early discussions with the leader of the Alliance Party, Lord Alderdice, and the UK Unionist leader, Mr Robert McCartney.
The cracking pace, set initially by Dr Mowlam, and taken up by Mr Blair, is typical of the style and energy with which the new Labour government has approached its first days in office. But the sustained flurry of activity, which follows last week's meetings with Mr Trimble and the Taoiseach, does not necessarily betoken confidence that an early breakthrough is imminent on the "peace" or political fronts.
There is inevitable doubt about the planned resumption of the inter party talks on June 3rd because of the imminence of the Irish election. The potential crisis threatened by a repeat confrontation at Drumcree has not yet been defused. There is also an expectation that the internal debate about the direction of the republican movement could take some months to resolve.
In preparation for tough times and hard decisions ahead, the North's political leaders yesterday set out their stalls at the start of a charm offensive which Mr Blair and Dr Mowlam know could well prove a short lived affair.
Dr Paisley went into yesterday's meeting with the emollient message: "We have to do business with the Prime Minister the people of the UK have chosen - that's democracy." But he emerged later declaring his message to Mr Blair: "Respect the ballot box. Move forward democratically and don't allow anybody who can point a gun at anybody else's head to have any say in the democratic process."
Mr Hume came away from his first meeting with the new Prime Minister encouraged by his "very definite and positive attitude". The SDLP leader said they discussed the overall situation in depth, "including the whole problem of violence on the streets, and my views as to how that can be stopped".
It is understood Mr Hume rehearsed the proposals put by him and the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, to Mr John Major last autumn.
He said: "I have very clear ideas from my experience and from my recent contacts as to how this violence can be stopped, and to the satisfaction of all sides."
Mr Trimble last night said he was "encouraged" by his meeting with Mr Blair, and believed he wanted to achieve positive developments in the North.