The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, is believed ready to put his own definitive proposals on a "take it or leave it" basis to the parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly within the next fortnight.
Speculation about Mr Blair's robust intentions was renewed last night after fresh signals in Whitehall that he remains determined to force the present negotiations about paramilitary "acts of completion" and the restoration of power-sharing government at Stormont to an early point of decision.
While the Prime Minister is at least officially hopeful that the parties themselves might break the impasse, The Irish Times understands he is preparing to put what he considers to be the available and acceptable terms for the return of devolution to a vote on the floor of a reconvened Northern Ireland Assembly.
What is not known at this point is whether rejection of any such plan, which it is presumed would also carry the approval of the Irish Government, would result in fresh Assembly elections, as provided for by the existing legislation, or a decision to close down the present Assembly as part of a wholesale return to direct rule from Westminster.
Downing Street refused to be drawn on Mr Blair's intentions yesterday.
However, other sources effectively confirmed Mr Blair's resolve to force a decision, maintaining that "progress is still being made in the right direction" and that "we're not at that point yet."
It is thought British and Irish ministers might reconvene the talks between the parties that ended without a resolution of the outstanding issues earlier this week.
However, The Irish Times understands Mr Blair is minded to allow only a very short time for any further negotiation and that his decision to force the pace could come in the coming weeks during the Conservative Party conference.
It is believed Mr Blair is anxious not to allow the situation to drift and so risk losing what he considers a firm republican offer to complete IRA weapons decommissioning and ensure an end to all paramilitary-related activities.
Equally, Mr Blair's understanding now is that it is no longer a question of "if" but rather "when" the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party agrees to share power with Sinn Féin.
However, hardline Ulster Unionist MP Mr David Burnside last night warned the unionist leadership to "be very wary" about what he called "a choreographed campaign by the British and Irish governments to put together an inclusive Executive with Sinn Féin following another con job on words and reality from the republican movement."