The head of the independent decommissioning body, Gen John de Chastelain has issued a formal assessment concluding that IRA and loyalist paramilitary arms decommissioning will take place.
He has, however, also stated that, should he be unable to agree a timetable with the paramilitary organisations, he may set his own date for the start of disarmament.
There was a degree of ambiguity to this sentence upon which the de Chastelain commission would not elaborate. However, despite the apparent qualification that it may yet become necessary to impose a deadline for the start of the process, Gen de Chastelain's report was warmly welcomed by both the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, and the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, at the EU summit in Helsinki.
Mr Blair told reporters he was "very pleased" with the report. He said it was another step on the way forward, acknowledging there was still a lot to do to ensure that the peace process takes root.
Mr Ahern said Gen de Chastelain's assessment was a "positive report" and "clear evidence" that the decommissioning process was proceeding in the manner planned under the Mitchell review of the Belfast Agreement.
The Taoiseach said he had "no doubt but that the end was in sight" in the North. He also welcomed the decision to close the Castlereagh holding centre.
British and Irish diplomatic sources said the suggestion about the possible need by Gen de Chastelain to set a time or deadline for the start of the process should not be interpreted as an ultimatum undermining the voluntary element to IRA and loyalist decommissioning.
Equally, the Ulster Unionist Party, which has signalled it will pull out of the Executive by February if IRA disarmament does not begin, appeared satisfied with the commission's analysis.
Gen de Chastelain yesterday made his positive assessment based on recent political developments and the fact that in the past eight days, IRA and UDA intermediaries for the first time met his decommissioning body.
Five representatives of the UDA met Gen de Chastelain's organisation yesterday while the IRA met the body late last week.
Mr Billy Hutchinson of the Progressive Unionist Party also met the general this week.
These developments prompted the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning to report positively yesterday to the Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, and the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue.
"We have taken note of the much improved political atmosphere created by the establishment of the new political institutions, the renewed collective commitment of the parties, and the appointment of authorised representatives by two paramilitary groups that had not previously done so.
"These events provide the basis for an assessment that decommissioning will occur," the commission said. It is to report to the governments again in January.
Gen de Chastelain described his meetings with the IRA and UVF representatives as "frank and useful". A further meeting with the IRA was agreed, he said.
Mr Hutchinson told the commission that to facilitate UVF disarmament, republicans must accept that the Belfast Agreement "is the final settlement to end the constitutional conflict", according to Gen de Chastelain.
He described yesterday's meeting with the UDA as "helpful". The UDA representatives told the commission that "disarmament will only be considered in the context of the IRA having already begun to decommission its arsenal of weaponry".
"The naming of the new representatives [from the UDA and IRA] and the initial meetings we have held with them demonstrate some progress. We expect more to follow," Gen de Chastelain said.
He repeated the commission's belief that "decommissioning cannot be imposed". A timetable for disarmament was best agreed with the paramilitary groups. He added: "We believe that still to be the case, nonetheless, the commission is prepared, if necessary, to state that actual decommissioning is to start within a specified period."
The main pro-agreement parties, however, were happy with the statement, as were the two governments. They had no difficulty with the line about a date being set. "All the commission is saying is that it would much rather if the paramilitaries set the date themselves, but, should it be necessary, it is prepared to provide a nudge by setting its own date," said a British insider.