Mr Seamus Mallon is circumspect on the subject now occupying the minds of many in the peace process. If the problem relating to the office of Deputy First Minister (designate) is not resolved quickly, it could prevent the establishment of a powersharing executive and everything flowing from that.
However, if a straightforward election were held, he would lose, because the rules for filling this post require the support of over half the unionists and nationalists in the Assembly and sufficient unionist votes would not be forthcoming.
On July 15th, in a dramatic speech, Seamus Mallon told the Stormont Assembly: "I offer my resignation with immediate effect." Does he regret it now?
"I don't. I did it for a political reason. It was the only way a meaningful review of all aspects of the agreement would be carried out and, subsequent to that, a fully inclusive executive could be created. It was my judgment that a review was not going to take place and that I had only one way of ensuring that it did.
"And I do not regret taking the step which got that review, which did take place, which was meaningful, which came to a successful conclusion and which now puts us in a position where a fully inclusive executive can be created."
There is one of his typically thoughtful pauses before he continues: "Let me say this: does anybody assume I wanted to do it? Did anybody assume I wanted to cause myself the pain of doing it, or put myself at a disadvantage by doing it? I didn't want any of those things."
So what happens now? The pause is even longer this time. He allows that a motion is on the order paper, a reference to the Alliance proposal - "That this Assembly wishes, notwithstanding his offer of resignation as deputy first minister (designate), that Seamus Mallon MP hold office as Deputy First Minister (designate)."
Mallon continues: "Procedural matters are under consideration which will probably, by definition, take the shape of a standing order and on the basis of both a standing order and, possibly this resolution, the Assembly will take a decision as to their view."
The SDLP deputy leader is ready to serve: he took a "very painful step" last July to try to ensure there would be a review to get the institutions up and running. It would therefore be "absolutely paradoxical" not to accede to the wishes of the Assembly if it asked him to resume his duties. "I will not be the person, in any shape or form, who will prevent the institutions being set up and the agreement working."
Like his party leader, John Hume, the Newry-Armagh MP had health problems in recent years, causing concern to friends and supporters that he might not be able for the strain of office. He politely rejects such solicitations: "I'm grand: the health's OK."
Just as well for the sake of the peace process that he feels fit for office, because if he were to take a step back from involvement at this stage, there would have to be a vote on his replacement which the pro-agreement parties would lose.
He describes the Ulster Unionist Council vote as "a substantial step forward" in that it facilitated the creation of the executive and the setting up of the institutions.
Assuming devolution takes place this week, was he comfortable in the knowledge it could all be pulled down in February on the decommissioning issue by the Ulster Unionist Council, on one hand, or the paramilitaries on the other?
"I don't think anybody will take any comfort from the possibility that at any date any of the parties could simply walk out of this and pull it down. I think the uncertainty will continue and the irony was that one of the stated objectives of the review, from many political parties, was that we would end the uncertainty. But force of events, force of political situations, has precluded that."
Does he have any sympathy for the position in which Mr Trimble found himself?
"I have a very substantial recognition of the problems, and the way he has handled them, within the Mitchell review and since. I recognise that he did a remarkably good job in terms of his own party position."