Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain warned the political parties today that he would only trigger Assembly elections for next month when he was certain they would live up to their commitments.
Northern Secretary Peter Hain: election must not be
Speaking in Belfast, Mr Hain described yesterday's Sinn Féin vote to support policing as hugely significant.
But he said: "There now needs to be delivery of practical co-operation with the police by Sinn Féin and delivery on practical power-sharing by the DUP.
"Provided these two are in place, I think we can move towards an election on March 7, with power-sharing and devolution on March 26."
But he said the importance of practical delivery by both was critical.
"I don't want the voters of Northern Ireland to trudge down to polling stations in a pointless exercise. The point of having an election on March 7 is to trigger a power-sharing executive on March 26," Mr Hain said.
"We can't have another election to an Assembly that might not exist."
He said the British government would make an assessment. Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern are meeting tomorrow and will consider the next step.
But Mr Hain said he did not have to make a decision tomorrow on whether to call the election.
"We just need to be clear from all the parties that they are willing to grasp this fantastic prize which is available to them."
Mr Hain said he had had a successful meeting with DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley this morning but declined to say what commitments, if any, Dr Paisley had given him in response to the Sinn Féin vote.
PA