The SDLP has warned the British government not to attempt to pressurise it into endorsing reforms of the RUC as they stand.
The party has been under renewed pressure from the British to move away from its stance of not nominating any Assembly members to the new Police Board to which the Police Service of Northern Ireland will be answerable.
Meanwhile, Irish officials were in London yesterday meeting their British counterparts as part of the resumption of intensive contacts and discussions.
The SDLP has said it requires guarantees on the neutrality of the service's new emblem, the future of its full-time reserve and the closure of an interrogation centre at Gough Barracks in south Armagh before declaring whether it will nominate to the board.
Speaking before a meeting with the Northern Ireland Office Security Minister, Mr Adam Ingram, Mr Alban Maginness MLA said the SDLP regarded the issue as vital to the future of the peace process and would not be pressurised.
"This is not a party political issue as far as we are concerned. This is an issue for the whole of society," he said. "If we do not get policing right, then it fundamentally weakens the chances that we have for a peaceful, democratic society here."
Mr Maginness said his party was committed to reaching an early decision about nominating. "We are not waiting for any elections before we make any decision in relation to this. We are prepared to work, and work very hard, to reach a conclusion as soon as possible."
Mr Maginness was also optimistic that the British government had the will to resolve the policing issue. "However, to date, they haven't responded positively to the issues that we believe are central to a resolution of this whole situation."
Mr Maginness said he believed the shortfall between the British will to resolve the policing issue and its failure to act was because they saw "this as a negotiating process" when it was in fact far more serious.
The Northern Secretary again warned yesterday that failure to nominate members to the Police Board would lead to reforming measures being put on hold.
Mr Peter Mandelson said he was incapable of pressurising any party in the North to do "anything they don't want to do", and said he was committed to the implementation of police reform.
He accused nationalists of taking " a very, very absolutist position . . . they want 100 per cent of everything they have asked for".
Mr Mandelson said he would try to address nationalist concerns but that in the final analysis the question was one of "are we going to implement the Patten reforms or are we not?"
Speaking after his meeting with Mr Ingram, Mr Maginness said the talks had been "serious and substantive" and said they would continue.
Although unwilling to say what the British response to his party had been, he said he was still optimistic and believed they were genuinely trying to reach a solution.
An SDLP delegation is due to meet the RUC Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, this morning.