As the start of the North's contentious marching season passed off peacefully yesterday, unionist and republican supporters and opponents of the Northern Ireland Agreement prepared their strategies for the crucial days ahead.
Meetings of the Ulster Unionist Party's 10 MPs and of the Grand Orange Lodge take place separately in Belfast tomorrow, the results of which could have a vital bearing on whether Mr David Trimble will be able to sell the agreement to grassroots unionists.
The Sinn Fein ardchomhairle is also preparing to meet before Saturday's party ardfheis in Dublin to decide how to present the agreement to the republican support base. Mr Trimble could face a challenge to his leadership of the UUP parliamentary party tomorrow night. The Grand Orange Lodge will also consider whether to accept or reject the agreement.
The results here will influence the decision of the UUP's 800member ruling body, the Ulster Unionist Council, on whether to endorse the agreement on Saturday.
So far, only four of the party's 10 MPs - Mr Trimble, Mr John Taylor, Mr Ken Maginnis and Mr Cecil Walker - have declared support for the deal.
Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, Mr William Thompson and Mr William Ross have expressed their opposition.
Mr Roy Beggs, Mr Clifford Forysthe and the Rev Martin Smyth have yet to reveal their stance, although it is widely known they have great difficulty with the agreement.
But, said unionist sources, while six MPs could vote against the agreement tomorrow night they believed Mr Trimble would retain sufficient support to remain as parliamentary party leader. His supporters argue that the 55-21 vote in favour of the deal by the council's executive body last Saturday would be replicated in the vote of the 800 council members this Saturday. With republican dissidents lining up against the deal, the Sinn Fein leadership may also experience some difficulties at its ardfheis on Saturday. It will be for the ardchomhairle this week to decide whether the ardfheis will be allowed take a decision on the agreement on Saturday.
At this stage the Sinn Fein leadership appears to favour greater and longer consultation before the party membership decides to accept or reject the agreement. The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, at an Easter commemoration rally in north Belfast, said the initial feedback from supporters was one of scepticism and hope, although he believed the republican mood was "more of hope".
While the UUP and Sinn Fein leaderships prepared for these vital meetings the first loyal order parade of the marching season took place without incident. The Apprentice Boys, in line with the ruling of the Parades Commission, voluntarily rerouted their parade away from the nationalist Lower Ormeau yesterday.
