The Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble said this evening he was determined to lead the party into the next election, amid a new challenge from hard-line party members over his power sharing with Sinn Féin.
His comments followed a call from anti-Agreement party members for a make-or-break meeting of his party's ruling council to discuss whether to continue in Northern Ireland government with Sinn Féin.
But he insisted he would still be in charge by the time of the next scheduled elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
He said: "There are some realities in this situation and I will continue to lead the party into next May."
Anti-Agreement members of the party have lodged a petition containing more than 60 signatures requesting that an emergency meeting takes place as soon as possible.
Mr Trimble, who is also Northern Ireland's First Minister, made the pledge after he held talks with the Acting Chief Constable, Mr Colin Cramphorn, to discuss the on-going sectarian street violence which has ravaged parts of north and east Belfast.
Amid claims that Sinn Féin will endorse the new policing arrangements if Prime Minister Tony Blair honours promises to toughen legislation, he challenged the party's leadership to first act against republicans involved in the rioting.
"There can be no question of Sinn Féin with any integrity moving onto the policing board unless it has addressed its responsibilities to stop violence from republicans."
In a direct message to Sinn Féin’s president Mr Gerry Adams, he said: "You have a job to do to stop republican violence, and I don't want to hear the sort of excuses we have had in the past."
Despite vehement denials from republicans, prominent UUP MPs Mr Jeffrey Donaldson and Mr David Burnside claim that sectarian disorder - along with alleged Provisional involvement in training left-wing guerrillas in Colombia and the raid on Special Branch offices at a top security Belfast police station - meant Sinn Féin can no longer stay in the power-sharing regime.
They have backed the 60 signature-petition which has been lodged with party officers to request a special meeting of the ruling Ulster Unionist Council next month to debate Sinn Féin's position in government.
Mr Burnside insisted his party had been left with no other option but to take such action.
He said: "We have no confidence in the Government. Ulster Unionists must act, must take the initiative and we will do at the Ulster Unionist Council."
PA