British Prime Minister Tony Blair said today he still believed an agreement was possible on the restoration of power-sharing in Northern Ireland.
Mr Blair said he hoped there could be a deal between the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin, provided the IRA gave up violence for good.
At his monthly Downing Street press conference, he rejected criticisms by former Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble and Seamus Mallon of the SDLP that he had destroyed the "moderate centre" by giving too much ground to republicans.
"I can't make the moderate centre go forward. I can't determine that. In the end it is for the parties to determine that," he said.
"I think that what David Trimble did in Northern Ireland was immensely brave and I hope very much that that is recognised when people do a historical analysis of this. But I have got to work with the outcome the electorate has given.
"I am still actually very hopeful that we can resolve it. I think sometimes with the interplay of the different unionist parties it's been very unclear who exactly is going to end up on top but I think that when it became apparent that the UUP couldn't make the deal with Sinn Féin, the DUP gained from that.
"Now I hope that DUP are prepared to share power provided there is a clear, unequivocal and complete giving up of violence and if there isn't I will be left in the same position again," Mr Blair said.