British and Irish sources have acknowledged the end of January is the "undeclared deadline" for their increasingly urgent attempts to break the deadlock in the peace process.
However, there is evident pessimism in both capitals about the prospects for an early breakthrough.
Ministers and officials openly acknowledge that failure to resolve the outstanding and inter-related issues quickly could see them become hopelessly entangled in the internal politics of the Ulster Unionist Party, and the timetable for the British general election.
Northern Ireland's First Minster, Mr David Trimble, has not ruled out a limited agreement which would see the IRA re-engage with the International Decommissioning Commission, and enable him to lift his ban on Sinn Fein's participation in meetings of the North-South Ministerial Council.
Sources close to Mr Trimble are privately predicting that the SDLP will endorse the new Police Service of Northern Ireland, possibly even this week.
In the course of a sharp rebuke to the Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, the SDLP leader, Mr John Hume said he hoped his party could "soon" deliver its verdict on the new policing dispensation. A clearer picture of the party's intent could emerge today when the Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon, undertakes a round of media engagements in Belfast.
At the same time, Mr Trimble begins the internal consultation process agreed with party officers on Friday, by which he has "bought time" and at least postponed a fresh challenge to his position at the Ulster Unionist Council.
However, while the political tempo quickens authoritative sources have told The Irish Times "an absence of trust" between the British government and Sinn Fein is continuing to block attempts to resolve the fundamental decommissioning/ demilitarisation dispute.
Negotiations between British and Irish officials at one stage seemed set to continue throughout the weekend, but were drawn to a close on Friday night as they had not reached a "sufficient maturity".
This emerged last night as British and Irish sources dismissed a report in yesterday's Sunday Telegraph that Mr Trimble and Sinn Fein leaders had already reached an agreement on decommissioning.
The report claimed the first step in a new decommissioning process would have the IRA notify the Irish Government of the locations of its arms dumps. Dublin would then issue "certificates of immunity" and the dumps would not be touched until the IRA agreed the weapons could be removed and destroyed. The sources told The Irish Times this plan had not been discussed by the Government with either Sinn Fein or the British.
They also discounted an alternative suggestion that the International Inspectors, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa and Mr Matti Athissari, might assume "joint custody" of IRA dumps in a process throwing a cordon sanitaire around inspected weapons and thus render them permanently "beyond use".
While it is believed this idea surfaced last month, Irish sources made clear that ongoing negotiations presume a continuing leading role for the International Commission.