Senior DUP sources declared themselves optimistic last night that the latest British-Irish proposals could see a new power-sharing executive established at Stormont by next March, writes Frank Millar, London Editor.
However the sources acknowledged that a final decision on the London-Dublin blueprint would be down to a judgment call by the party's leader, the Rev Ian Paisley.
Dr Paisley received the final proposals from the two governments at a meeting with the British Prime Minister Mr Blair in 10 Downing Street yesterday.
It is understood that preparations have been made by the DUP leadership to put the proposals to a meeting of the party's Assembly group, and then to a meeting of the DUP executive, at the end of next week.
However, while DUP MPs were enjoying the apparent discomfort of Sinn Féin and and the SDLP yesterday, the Sinn Féin chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, declared the DUP was "not psychologically ready to share power".
Dr Paisley emerged from an hour of talks with Mr Blair, at Downing Street offering a firm "no comment" while acknowledging receipt of the document, understood to contain the London/Dublin formulae for the resumption of power-sharing government in Belfast by February or March of next year, and an ongoing process of political and security changes leading to all-round acts of completion, to be finished by early 2006.
When asked what the document contained, Dr Paisley's deputy, Mr Peter Robinson, replied: "Words."
However, as the DUP delegation departed to consider the fine print of the British/Irish proposals, and to frame their response ahead of next week's deadline, the Sinn Féin chairman was suggesting that a "conflicted" DUP was not ready to reach agreement.
In a statement issued in London ahead of his party leader Mr Gerry Adams's meeting with the Taoiseach in Dublin - and the emergence of Sinn Féin and SDLP "concerns" about the British/Irish draft - Mr McLaughlin said failure to restore the Stormont Executive should lead to a period of power-sharing by the British and Irish governments instead.
The Sinn Féin chairman's statement opened with a significant claim in respect of both governments.
He said: "It has been acknowledged by both governments that at the Leeds Castle talks and in our efforts since, republicans are serious about achieving agreement. Both governments have stated on a number of occasions that the offer on the table from republicans meets the requirements for a resolution to the arms issue."
One Whitehall source last night suggested this was "a hard interpretation" of Mr Blair's comments following the Leeds Castle talks in September, although when pressed he said he would "not disown it".
Mr McLaughlin said: "I believe it is now time for the governments to accept that the DUP is not psychologically ready to share power with the pro-agreement parties."