The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, is to meet the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr Trimble, in London on Thursday. The meeting, the first with the UUP leader since Mr Ahern came to power, will mark a further intensification of efforts in London and Dublin to engage the Northern parties in substantive talks. As the talks process chairman, Mr George Mitchell, prepares to launch a series of intensive bilateral meetings between the parties, it was confirmed last night that Mr Trimble will also meet the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, at Downing Street on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach and Prime Minister will have a "stocktaking" meeting on Thursday night or Friday, on the margins of the EU employment summit in Luxembourg.
Following Mr Trimble's indication that he would be prepared to meet the Taoiseach in either London or Europe, it emerged that Mr Ahern would probably travel to Luxembourg via London on Thursday.
Sources last night would not comment on the venue for the meeting, save to say it was unlikely to be held either at the House of Commons or the Irish Embassy.
With Unionist MPs expected to attend Thursday's service of thanksgiving to mark Queen Elizabeth's golden wedding anniversary, the indications were that the meeting with Mr Ahern would take place in the late-morning or early afternoon.
Mr Trimble is expected to be accompanied to the meeting by his deputy, Mr John Taylor, and by the Lagan Valley MP, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson.
Unionist sources say they want to "test" the Taoiseach's attitude to making changes to Articles 2 and 3 of the Irish Constitution, and on the scale, status and authority of any cross-Border institutional links as part of an overall political settlement.