AFTER a final round of discussions with Northern parties, the Northern Secretary said that after an inauspicious start, the proximity talks had fulfilled their purpose.
He will meet the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, in Dublin this afternoon to review progress made during the talks, which were designed to devise an agreed electoral model leading to all party negotiations on June 10th.
The talks did not, in fact achieve agreement on what form elections will take and the British government will now take that decision early next week. The elections will probably take place in May, Sir Patrick Mayhew said.
He said he was "greatly encouraged" by the way all the parties, whether meeting at Castle Buildings, or elsewhere in Belfast, Dublin and London, had "seriously engaged, seriously addressed" the various issues.
"I think that bodes very well for the future of the negotiations," he said.
He had discussed Tuesday's statement from the Combined Loyalist Military Command, which threatened loyalist retaliation for further IRA attacks, with the UDP, which represents UDA opinion. While describing the threat in the statement as serious, he said it was encouraging that the CLMC committed itself to "democratic purposes and democratic methods".
Sinn Fe in, which was excluded from the preparatory talks because of the collapse of the IRA ceasefire, was dismissive of Sir Patrick's upbeat assessment of the preparatory talks.
The party's national chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, said they were another example of the British government's failure to deal adequately with the current situation.
"Real political movement, not the illusion of movement, is what is required," he said. The refusal of the two governments to engage directly with Sinn Fe in meant that "between 35 per cent and 40 per cent" of the nationalist population in the North - those who support his party were being disenfranchised.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach has again urged the IRA before its ceasefire. After meeting the British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, and President Clinton on the margins of yesterday's summit in Egypt, Mr Bruton said it was up to the IRA to ensure the peace process continued.
"One way, I believe, of making absolutely sure that the loyalists don't do anything is for the IRA to reinstate its ceasefire," he said.
Sinn Fein "have the talks that they were looking for", he added. "There's a place at the table waiting for them. All that needs to be done is for the IRA to simply reinstate its ceasefire so that the peace process can proceed."
The Taoiseach said such concerns were raised informally when he met Mr Major and Mr Clinton. "We discussed some of the things that are worrying us currently, most importantly to make sure that we have a restoration of the ceasefire so that everyone can be present when the talks start on June 10th."
Despite renewed fears of "tit for tat" IRA and loyalist paramilitary violence, Sinn Fein's Mr Gerry Adams and the two loyalist parties, the UDP and the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP), were all seeking yesterday to offer reassurances.
Mr Gary McMichael, leader of the UDP, and Mr Billy Hutchinson, spokesman for the PUP, which reflects the UVF view, said the purpose of the loyalist leadership's Tuesday statement was to try to ensure the IRA would draw back from the brink and fully participate in the democratic process.
Mr Adams, speaking in New York before these comments from the loyalist parties, appealed for calm from all sides. Mr Major welcomed Mr Adams's comments and said he hoped Mr Adams would now persuade the IRA to restore its ceasefire.
Following discussions lasting three hours with the SDLP yesterday, Mr Spring praised the "courage and restraint" of loyalist paramilitaries in recent months. Asked about getting Sinn Fe in back into the peace process, he said people would not thank the Government if it met the party while the IRA ceasefire was still collapsed.
The SDLP deputy leader, Mr Seamus Mallon, said they were not going to put the peace process "into cold storage for anyone". It is understood that the SDLP delegation also expressed concerns during yesterday's talks about the difficulties involving proposed legislation on decommissioning.
The Democratic Left leader, Mr De Rossa, urged loyalist paramilitaries to "continue to show the same restraint".
The Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Robin Eames and the President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Rev Christopher Walpole, appealed to the loyalist paramilitaries not to be provoked into violence.