THE Tanaiste and the Ulster Unionist leader are expected to meet in London next week.
This emerged last night following a telephone conversation between Mr Dick, Spring and Mr David Trimble on Thursday afternoon.
The arrangements should be finalised in a further telephone conversation late tonight.
Mr Spring took the initiative on Thursday after confusion about his and Mr Trimble's commitments to attend the World Economic Forum in Switzerland yesterday and an event in Cork today.
It had been hoped the two men would meet informally at one or other event.
But when it became clear they would not, Mr Spring rang the UUP leader at the House of Commons and suggested they meet before his departure for the United States following Wednesday's resumed meeting of the InterGovernmental Conference.
Mr Trimble is certain to hear at first hand the Government's view that elections in the North will only be agreed if he, and the British government, can satisfy nationalists that they intend a clear and direct link between the elective process and, the immediate start of negotiations.
While there is some irritation in Dublin at the renewed British and unionist focus on the decommissioning of illegal weapons, it was confirmed yesterday that the Dail would also need to enact legislation in respect of immunities arising from any decommissioning process.
Mr Spring is also expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with representatives of other Northern parties early next week. He will be anxious to test the political waters on the possible acceptability of what is termed "an elective process" as an alternative precondition for the entry of the paramilitaries into all party talks.
It is understood that meetings with the SDLP, Sinn Fein and other Northern parties have yet to be finalised.
Anglo Irish officials will meet on Tuesday to prepare the ground for Wednesday's resumed Anglo Irish Conference meeting between Mr Spring and Northern Secretary Sir Patrick Mayhew in Dublin.
Mr Spring is due to meet President Clinton to review the peace process next Thursday and his national security adviser, Mr Anthony Lake, on Friday.
An elective process is firmly on the Government's agenda for next week's series of meetings. Senior Government sources and the leadership of Fianna Fail have come round to the view in recent days that a Northern election, first proposed by Mr Trimble, could be the most direct route into all party negotiations.
Among other matters, the Government will be anxious to ensure that if there is an election, no further preconditions will be put in the way of starting round table talks.