There is renewed optimism that republicans will make a substantial move on the weapons issue in the wake of unprecedented pressure from the Irish, British and US governments. There are strong indications the IRA may begin to decommission over coming days.
An IRA statement in this morning's issue of An Phoblacht - that it is to renew and intensify talks with the independent decommissioning body - falls far short of the steps demanded by the three governments. However sources close to the talks believe there is now serious debate within the republican movement on the weapons issue, and that further progress is possible in the coming days.
The IRA said in its statement the renewed dialogue was "within the context of our commitment to deal satisfactorily with the question of arms. It is with a view to accelerating progress towards the comprehensive resolution of this issue."
There was speculation last night that the Ulster Unionist Party may have resolved its difficulties and may agree to nominate members to the new Policing Board as early as this afternoon.
Washington, Dublin and London are applying intense pressure on Sinn FΘin to ensure not only new talks with the decommissioning body, but a restoration of the IRA's offer to put weapons beyond use and an immediate start to that process.
The hard cutting-edge of that pressure on the republican movement emerged last night as the White House refused to rule the IRA out of America's "war" on terrorism. Responding to the fear of being ostracised by Washington, the IRA statement insists the organisation sent no one to Colombia and that the three men arrested there are not a threat to the peace process
The pressure on republicans is likely to be reinforced this evening when President Bush meets the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, for a working dinner in Washington. The focus of that meeting will be the ongoing effort to assemble a worldwide coalition in support of US action against those responsible for the terrorist atrocities in Washington and New York.
Hopes for IRA moves back towards decommissioning with the possibility of a ceasefire by the dissident republicans in the "Real IRA" are growing in the wake of the US attacks but also the latest approaching deadline for political progress in the North.
The latest IRA statement comes after considerable pressure to re-instate its contact with Gen de Chastelain's Independent International Decommissioning Commission. However the IRA is also under pressure to reinstate its offer to put weapons beyond use in line with a method agreed with the commission, and to begin the process immediately.
A Government spokesman welcomed the IRA statement of re-engagement with the commission but added: "We look forward to an early and comprehensive resolution of the arms issue through that engagement."
The Northern Secretary, Dr John Reid, said the IRA's decision to intensify and accelerate their engagement with the de Chastelain Commission was "very welcome". He added: "The important thing now is that it is quickly built upon to reach a comprehensive resolution of the arms issue."
he statement was greeted with cautious optimism by nationalist politicians but dismissed as a "cynical stunt" by unionists.
The Sinn FΘin president, Mr Gerry Adams, welcomed the IRA statement. "While there are many difficulties it remains my firm view that none of these matters are intractable," he said.
In a significant intervention last night, the Taoiseach sought actual movement on weapons, rather than simply the restoration of the IRA offer - made and withdrawn in August - to put weapons beyond use in line with a method agreed with the international decommissioning body.
"I look forward to the scheme of putting weapons beyond use, described at the time as historic, being put back on the table and being proceeded with urgently," he told a Fianna Fβil parliamentary party meeting in Ennis, Co Clare.
Taking advantage of intensified international hostility to terrorism, the governments are seeking a substantial move on weapons that they believed very unlikely before the US attacks. Government sources said the Taoiseach's comment that the scheme of putting weapons beyond use be "proceeded with urgently" was significant. It was a clear signal the restoration of the offer in itself would not be enough for a deal to ensure the stabilisation of the North's political institutions and that an act of decommissioning was required.
The British government was last night considering an extension of the deadline for a deal beyond next weekend to give Sinn FΘin and the IRA extra time to consider their options in the transformed international atmosphere.