Pressure on the IRA and Sinn Fein over decommissioning was building last night, as Mr Tony Blair completed a round of discussions with Dr Mo Mowlam, Mr David Trimble and, by telephone, with the Taoiseach, on the next steps in the peace process.
Mr Blair and Mr Ahern compared notes during a 15-minute call, in between the Prime Minister's separate meetings with the Secretary of State and First Minister, to consider the sequence of events to follow Tuesday's Assembly vote approving new Northern Ireland and cross-Border institutions.
And despite earlier suggestions of potential disagreement between Dr Mowlam and Mr Trimble, it seemed clear last night the Secretary of State will not attempt to force the Ulster Unionist leader's hand by triggering the d'Hondt mechanism for the allocation of ministerial posts in the proposed executive until the decommissioning issue has been resolved.
Ahead of her meeting with Mr Blair - which covered a range of issues including Drumcree - Dr Mowlam confirmed she will next week produce a draft standing order which would allow her to trigger the creation of the executive and the transfer of powers.
But she added: "What I think it is important to remember is that the draft standing orders do not answer the fundamental question which needs to be answered in the weeks ahead - that is the balance between the executive and decommissioning."
Sources later said Dr Mowlam would consult the parties and seek as large a consensus as possible on the standing order. But Mr Trimble again made it clear he would not be part of any such consensus until decommissioning had been dealt with.
Arriving at Downing Street last night, Mr Trimble made it clear decommissioning would be the only subject for discussion with Mr Blair. "There is only one issue left to be resolved," he said.
Emerging some 70 minutes later, he declared: "Mr Blair shared our view that it should happen as soon as possible to permit the new institutions to proceed as smoothly as possible."
He insisted decommissioning could take place if leading Sinn Fein members so decided: "None of us supposes they are going to tell us in advance. We have to encourage them, prepare to offer them assistance if necessary, and meanwhile press on with the steps insofar as we can to enable the transfer of power to take place, knowing we cannot operate on a fully inclusive basis unless decommissioning takes place."
And he added he was optimistic that overwhelming popular support for the peace process "will be brought to bear on the small group of paramilitaries who are obstructing the political process and failing to deliver peace in the way people want."
Following the Taoiseach's comments in the decommissioning debate last weekend, the signs are the British government is now set to build the pressure on the Provisional movement to act on decommissioning. Confirming London intends to exert the maximum pressure to get a deal over the coming weeks, one insider last night said: "It has to happen in a way that is meaningful. And that does not mean some vague commitment."
The Tory leader, Mr William Hague, welcomed Tuesday's Assembly vote but pressed Mr Blair to "guarantee that terrorist organisations" will not hold office until they have honoured their part of the agreement.