Sinn Féin leader Mr Gerry Adams today warned Britain against suspending the power-sharing institutions at what he described as "the whim of unionism".
Speaking after a meeting with the British prime minister in Downing Street, Mr Adams said he put it very strongly to Mr Blair that to suspend the institutions again would be a "mistake".
Mr Adams described his meeting with Mr Blair as "constructive and cordial" as well as "honest and frank".
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He said suspension would have the effect of characterising the institutions as being "optional extras", given or taken away on the basis of whether unionism can live with what is happening in the North or elsewhere.
Mr Adams said that the main problems in the peace process could be laid at the door of 'rejectionist' unionists.
He blamed the current crisis on the decision by the Ulster Unionist Council to withdraw from the institutions in January, to cease the functioning of the North-South Ministerial Council and to seek legislation to exclude his party from the institutions
He said he told Mr Blair there was no basis for the expulsion of Sinn Féin for the power-sharing executive. "We are having a crisis in the middle of October which the Unionists planned to have in the Spring of next year," Mr Adams said.
But the Sinn Féin leader acknowledged the events of last week had caused problems for everyone involved not least his own party.
Last night, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, signalled suspending the assembly was the most likely option. Before meeting Mr Blair in Downing Street, Mr Ahern said: "We want to see the institutions work. We don't want to see suspension. But if there is not trust between the parties, then they can't work".
