The Democratic Unionists today insisted the Provisional IRA's command structure must be dismantled before the party will agree to enter government.
Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson was speaking as the Independent Monitoring Commission handed in its 12th report, which is expected to address the issue, to the Irish and British governments.
The assessment by the body set up to monitor the IRA and loyalist ceasefires could have a significant impact on efforts to restore power-sharing, with the DUP calling for further assurances on republican criminality before accepting Sinn Féin.
"We differ from the IMC in their view that it's not a matter of concern that the command and control structure of the IRA remains intact," Mr Donaldson said. "If they are no longer engaged in criminal or paramilitary activity, there's no need for that and we will want to see that structure dismantled.
"We don't want to pre-empt the report, but I think most people will want to be sure that what the IMC says is reflected by the reality on the ground over a period of time."
Politicians are travelling to Scotland next week for talks aimed at restoring devolution by the November 24th deadline and the two governments will be hoping for a positive assessment from the IMC.
The four commissioners' findings will be made public on Wednesday.
The DUP has met the IMC since its last dossier to demand clarification of earlier findings that the IRA's command structure remained in place.
The report will also deal with the murder of republican spy Denis Donaldson in Co Donegal last April. It should address the activities of dissident republicans and loyalists.
Downing Street said today that the IMC report would be "very significant". Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman said: "We hope it will provide the definitive answer to the question as to whether the IRA campaign in all its forms is finally over and whether Sinn Féin is living up to the commitments it has made to pursue its ends by solely political means."