The Patten commission will today place policing firmly in the context of the Belfast Agreement by calling for the speedy devolution of some significant police and criminal justice issues to a new Northern Ireland administration. The historic report, running to some 180 proposals, will open the door to Sinn Fein's participation in a new 19-member police board to replace the existing Police Authority.
However, the commission is expected to make the creation of the new board - to oversee the work of a renamed Northern Ireland Police Service - conditional on the establishment of the proposed power-sharing executive.
It would be open to the British government to implement the proposals piecemeal should the political process collapse.
But it is understood the international commission will suggest that the 10 Northern Ireland Assembly members to serve on the new board be drawn from parties participating in an executive, rather than merely eligible for membership of it.
The prospects for an early political breakthrough in the review of the agreement remained grim as unionist opposition to Patten continued to build ahead of today's publication of the report.
Despite a series of leaks, the report contains many substantive proposals covering key areas like accountability, training and recruitment which have not yet been disclosed.
The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, claimed copies of the proposals had been given in advance to the British and Irish governments, and to the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble.
And amid unconfirmed reports of a serious face-to-face row between Mr Trimble and Mr Chris Patten earlier this week, UUP sources yesterday indicated their certain opposition to at least three of the expected key elements of the Patten plan.
These are the proposals to scrap the "Royal" title, and rename the RUC the Northern Ireland Police Service; to appoint an eminent person from outside the UK and Ireland as implementation commissioner to oversee the programme of reform; and to enable local police boards to "buy in" additional services from the police or other statutory bodies or from the private sector.
As Mr Patten and members of the commission briefed the RUC Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, on the detail of their proposals, senior police sources said the expected proposal to allow district councils to raise an extra 3p on the rates for additional police services remained a major issue of concern.
During the coming consultation period senior officers may also resist the immediate phasing out of the full-time reserve in light of the ongoing security assessment.
And difficulties are clearly envisaged should the British government proceed to include Sinn Fein on the police board ahead of a political settlement, and while the IRA continues targeting and other activities.