The Sinn Fein leaders, Mr Gerry Adams, Mr Martin McGuinness and Ms Bairbre de Brun, travel to London today as the crisis in the peace process deepens and with the possible suspension of the institutions only days away.
There was speculation last night that the group might meet the British Prime Minister for crisis talks, although a Sinn Fein spokesman could not confirm this. The London visit comes amid reports of growing pressure on the IRA to issue another statement, the third in a fortnight, aimed at easing the difficulties in the peace process. However, no observer now expects decommissioning in advance of this weekend's Ulster Unionist Council meeting or in its aftermath.
Intense diplomatic and political activity is continuing and the Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, met the Sinn Fein president for almost 90 minutes at Castle Buildings, Stormont, last night.
Politicians and civil servants hope that Mr David Trimble will not have to go empty-handed to Saturday's UUC meeting in Belfast, but with a general acknowledgment among key participants in the peace process that no IRA guns or explosives will be decommissioned in advance of the meeting, efforts have been focused instead on trying to secure an IRA statement in unequivocal terms that the "war" is over.
The two IRA statements issued last week were seen as attempts by the organisation to make a contribution to easing current difficulties. However, it is believed that a flat announcement by the IRA that the "war" was over would be almost impossible to obtain.
Senior sources said that a considerable effort had also gone into trying to secure an IRA gesture of decommissioning, such as the destruction of a quantity of Semtex explosives as suggested by Mr John Hume.
The May 22nd decommissioning deadline was suggested as a date when this could happen and, in return, the period for total destruction of weapons would be extended by at least 18 months on the grounds that the Executive was established only last December.
While a further IRA statement of clarification this week might be an attainable objective, insiders were deeply sceptical about the prospect of a decommissioning gesture by May.