President Bush's special envoy has pressed the DUP to talk directly to Sinn Féin. Dan Keenan and George Jackson report.
Dr Mitchell Reiss, who meets the Democratic Unionists today, said it was essential for the two parties to meet each other across the negotiation table.
Dr Reiss, who had met Sinn Féin and the other parties on Wednesday, said republicans could also remove one of the stumbling blocks to political progress in the North if they fully participated in policing.
He made his appeal, which has angered the DUP, during a visit to Strabane, Co Tyrone, where he met members of the local District Policing Partnership. One of the partnership's members, Ms Mary McCrea, was commended by President Bush during this year's St Patrick's Day celebrations in the White House.
Dr Reiss said it was his view that the three main issues impeding political progress were continuing paramilitary activity, the lack of full participation in policing and the DUP's refusal to talk to Sinn Féin.
"I think it is essential that the DUP and Sinn Féin get around the table, and I have made this point to the DUP in all my meetings with them. If you have disagreements with somebody, the way you settle them is you sit down at the table, you talk face to face," he said. "The way we like to do it in America is if you have got something to say you say it face to face," he added.
Asked if President Bush would take part in cross-table talks with people who were alleged to have a private army at their disposal, he hesitated for several seconds before answering the question.
"Years ago a very famous Israeli leader said you don't make peace with your friends, you make peace with your enemies. And so I think you have to realise if you do want to get to a place where there is peace and stability, and a better future for all of the people of Northern Ireland, you are going to have to have a conversation with people and the sooner that conversations can start the better."
The DUP said his remarks were "unfortunate" in that they were made in advance of the party's talks with him.
Mr Ian Paisley jnr said: "It would appear that Mitchell Reiss is not fully aware of the nature of the political process at the present time. The DUP has received a renewed and strengthened mandate and we will only work with those parties who are committed to exclusively peaceful and democratic means."
British and Irish government officials are continuing to prepare for an intensification of efforts to break the political impasse in September.
The Irish Times understands they are examining options for all-party talks hosted by the two governments and which may be held outside Northern Ireland, perhaps in Scotland.