Sinn Fein's chief negotiator, Mr Martin McGuinness, said yesterday that he wanted an end to all hostilities and he "wanted it today". He said that his party was committed to peace and democratic dialogue.
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster, Mr McGuiness said: "I am calling for an end to all armed actions. 1 am calling for three cease fires. I want a cease fire from the British government and its military forces; I want a ceasefire from the loyalists; and 1 want a ceasefire from the IRA. I want that today, I want it at noon today, and I want all of us to move into real and meaningful peace negotiations."
The issue of decommissioning weapons was still the biggest stumbling block to progress; it had not been removed as a bar to progress in the peace process, according to Mr McGuinness.
The Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, replied on the same programme by saying: "I think Sinn Fein ought to concentrate on giving me an unequivocal ceasefire before they tell me what else I should be doing."