The Sinn Fein leader, Mr Gerry Adams, again insisted late last night that he cannot deliver IRA decommissioning. He accused the Ulster Unionist Party of refusing to budge from its "precondition" of some IRA disarmament before Sinn Fein can enter the executive.
Mr Adams emerged briefly from last night's talks at Hillsborough Castle around 9 p.m. to insist that the UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, was obliged under the Belfast Agreement to accept Sinn Fein into an executive.
Mr Adams said his party could not bring about IRA decommissioning. "Neither can we deliver for any organisation, or for any of the armed groups, the type of demand that is being imposed upon us and that is preventing this process from moving forward." He said, however, that the more recent discussions with Mr Trimble were "more cordial and more focused".
"He has his difficulties, we have our difficulties, but leadership is about facing forward, about keeping promises, about moving away from these old agendas, from all of these old exclusive policies of the past. This is about inclusiveness, about building equality. It is difficult and if any are surprised it is difficult, then they don't know their own history."
Mr Adams said the "ideas and propositions" being floated at Hillsborough Castle yesterday by the two government leaders and the other parties had so far failed to break the deadlock.
The Belfast Agreement had to succeed because otherwise those favouring the accord would be caving in to those seeking to wreck the agreement, including the demonstrators who were protesting outside Hillsborough Castle last night.
"The vast majority of people on this island want the process to succeed. We who are in positions of political leadership must keep our eye on that prize." Mr Seamus Mallon said late last night he was "still hopeful" the parties in Hillsborough would reach an agreement "before [this] night is out".
The Deputy First Minister designate, speaking on RTE's Prime Time, said the resolution being shown by all the parties at the negotiations was "quite unique".
He described as "almost tangible", the "will to get around this problem . . . If that will can be translated into a commitment into pen and ink, then I think we can do it."
What was being sought was a situation which would allow all parties to sign up to an agreement "without loss of face".
While the talks continued deep into the night, a crowd of about 70 anti-agreement loyalist demonstrators gathered outside Hillsborough Castle.
Each time any of the politicians emerged from the building they were heckled and taunted by the demonstrators.
Anti-agreement politicians outside the castle included the former Mid-Ulster MP, the Rev William McCrea, and Mr Paul Berry of the Democratic Unionist Party. The Alliance leader, Mr Sean Neeson, came out at point to say that Mr Blair and Mr Ahern were working intensively with the parties to try to find a formula that would break the decommissioning logjam.
He said the Prime Minister, and the Taoiseach, and the political parties should meet throughout the night if necessary.
Also speaking at Hillsborough last night, the Sinn Fein chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin said his party was determined to end the impasse. But he said that "whatever is prepared or canvassed has to be in the context of the agreement."
