A major drive to break the decommissioning impasse is to take place over the coming fortnight, following yesterday's cross-community vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly to accept new government departments and North-South bodies.
The British and Irish governments and the main pro-agreement parties will be in constant consultation to break the deadlock.
The White House is renewing its involvement and there is a major focus on the expected report from the head of the decommissioning body, Gen John de Chastelain.
As an indication of the gathering pace of political contacts, the first-ever party-to-party meeting between the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Fein is scheduled to take place this morning at Stormont. Previously, Mr Trimble met the Sinn Fein leader, Mr Gerry Adams, in his capacity as First Minister but this will be the first time for delegations representing both parties to meet.
There had been widespread predictions from the anti-agreement camp and the media that Mr Roy Beggs jnr would oppose the party leadership in yesterday's vote, which would have placed Mr Trimble in a minority position among unionist members.
The East Antrim Assembly member said last week he would be unable to support the leadership stance. But a determined effort was made by senior unionists to persuade him to change his mind. In the end, the only UUP Assembly member to vote No was Mr Peter Weir, who had lost the whip after a previous defection.
The balance of forces between Yes and No unionists remains 2929. With the support of other parties the proposal from Mr Trimble and Mr Seamus Mallon on new structures was passed by 77 votes to 29.
In a statement issued immediately after the vote, Mr Beggs indicated he had been strongly influenced by a meeting of the UUP executive on Saturday which unanimously voted to block the appointment of Sinn Fein ministers until the IRA had decommissioned.
The result in the Assembly was welcomed by the Sinn Fein president, who missed the vote to attend a meeting with Mr Tony Blair at Downing Street. Mr Adams said he hoped Mr Trimble would "take strength" from the fact that the political landscape had changed since the days of monolithic unionism and that he had the support of a range of parties yesterday, reflecting the referendum results North and South.
"I put it to Tony Blair that the next steps were over to the British government," Mr Adams said. This meant the activation of the procedures for setting up the executive and transferring powers by the March 10th deadline.
Meanwhile, White House sources were saying the Clinton administration was stepping up its activity in the peace process, now that the President's impeachment difficulties had been overcome. "This president's legacy will include his work on Ireland."
Turning of Beggs is triumph for Trimble, reports and analysis: page 8