Mr David Trimble has said he is confident that the current difficulties in the peace process will eventually be resolved and that there is no "terminal crisis" in the implementation of the Belfast Agreement.
While insisting it was still possible to resolve the crisis before tomorrow, he conceded this "might not be a terribly great hope". However, he suggested he was relaxed about the prospect of a suspension of the institutions, saying: "If we end up in a review, we end up in a review. We will deal with that, too."
Speaking after an 80-minute meeting with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, in Dublin yesterday, Mr Trimble said he was disappointed that the agreement had not worked out more positively so far. He said he did not want to see a "crash" in the process due to the current difficulties.
Mr Trimble adopted an optimistic tone about the future of the process, saying: "What we have got to focus on is whether there is any prospect of progress, and then if there is not, how we manage the difficulties, short-term, but keep our attention on the ultimate objective to which we are still committed."
The Taoiseach insisted he was still seeking to resolve the difficulties before tomorrow's Ulster Unionist Council meeting, but he was conscious there was little time left. "I cannot be confident," he said, "but as long as I am trying, then that is what I have to keep at." If there was not a breakthrough now, "we just have to keep at it and we will keep on working together".
Mr Trimble said he believed the difficulties would be managed. "I am quite confident in our ability ourselves, the other parties in Northern Ireland, the Irish Government, the British government, that we have the capability of working through the difficulties."
"No matter what difficulties we might have, no matter what might flow from my own Council meeting on Saturday, nobody should regard that as being the end of this process. It is not," he declared.
"It is still possible that things could develop positively so that there is quite a different aspect to things on Saturday morning. It might not be a terribly great hope in view of the time available. But it is still possible and I would be delighted were it to happen.
"If that doesn't happen and we have a difficulty on Saturday, well, then we will work through that as well, whatever the technicalities may be."
Mr Trimble said it was extremely important for him and Mr Ahern to "maintain the closest contact that we can, particularly over the next few days and weeks". He said he appreciated the work that the Taoiseach and the Government had done.
"No one can predict exactly how things will develop over the next few days. We know the problems, we will continue to work at the problems. But I do have to emphasise that they are just problems and that people would be wrong to regard this as being a terminal crisis in the agreement. It is not that."