The Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, has pledged to continue his efforts to secure concessions from the British government on policing and to seek greater clarity on the question of IRA weapons ahead of next Saturday's meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council in Belfast.
While there has been a move to defuse a potentially damaging dispute over flags, there was no evidence of any significant progress so far by the UUP in its efforts to retain the name of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
The Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, is expected to bring in an Order in Council in the House of Commons next week on the issue of flying flags over public buildings.
This would give him a reserve power to take the final decision in the event that an inter-party dispute on flying the Union flag remained unresolved following a process of consultation.
The policing issue is likely to prove more difficult to resolve. Mr Trimble indicated yesterday that his party would continue to pursue this and other matters with London in the coming week. It had been raised at every meeting with the British government since what he called the "crass" Patten Report was published last September.
"That will continue. We expect that the Bill will be published shortly: that would begin its parliamentary proceedings. This issue will run and run."
Following a meeting with his Assembly team at Stormont yesterday, Mr Trimble met party officers at Glengall Street. He announced afterwards that a special meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council would be held at the Waterfront Hall next Saturday, where he would give a report on the political situation. This is two days in advance of the proposed reinstatement of the Northern Executive on May 22nd.
The IRA statement issued last weekend had "raised as many questions as it answered", Mr Trimble said. The UUP had been seeking answers in discussions at governmental level and with "other responsible persons" such as the De Chastelain decommissioning body.
"We are hoping that in the days to come we will be able to obtain a bit more clarity and certainty about how far the IRA statement goes."