The majority of Ulster Unionists want to share power with Sinn Fein, according to Ulster Unionist MLA Mr Duncan Shipley Dalton.
Standing in for party colleague, Mr Ken Maginnis, Mr Dalton was speaking at "West Belfast Talks Back", a Feile an Phobail event, in St Louise's Comprehensive College last night.
"The majority of my party, a slim majority but nonetheless the majority, want to take the opportunity to share power with Sinn Fein, and with all the people in Northern Ireland."
Mr Dalton further endeared himself to the strongly nationalist audience by saying he understood why there might be resistance to IRA decommissioning at a time of ongoing loyalist violence.
"I can appreciate the fact that the community feel they were the victims of attack in 1968 and 1969 in response to what was essentially a civil rights movement to argue for what should have been given anyway.
"I appreciate that from this side of the community it represents a major step to be the first to lower the weaponry. But unless someone does it is not going to happen throughout the rest of the country.
"In the last month I had to visit the families of two people in my constituency murdered by loyalists, Ciaran Cummings in Antrim, and Gavin Brett in Belfast - two young men killed for no other reason but that one of them happened to be of one religion and the other was thought to be of that religion."
The discussion, in which a panel responded to questions from the audience, was chaired by Mr Vincent Brown. The other panel members were Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gildernew, historian Prof John A. Murphy, and political commentator Mr Brian Feeny.
Mr Dalton's remarks prompted one audience member to ask: "Duncan I'm wondering are you a member of the Unionist party at all?"
Mr Maginnis, who had been scheduled to speak at last night's event, withdrew yesterday afternoon to attend a meeting of the Ulster Unionist party officers.