A SPECIAL meeting of the Assembly to deal with the nominations of Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness as First Minister and Deputy First Minister respectively has been arranged for this afternoon.
The decision came after a long day of negotiations between the DUP and Sinn Féin.
Intensive talks between the two parties over recent days, which were closely monitored by Taoiseach Brian Cowen and directly involved British prime minister Gordon Brown, have led to a formula that the parties and the British and Irish governments believe has broken the deadlock between the DUP and Sinn Féin.
Mr Brown will chair a meeting in London tomorrow with Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness in their roles as First Minister and Deputy First Minister, at which the Irish Government will be represented at senior level - although Mr Cowen is unable to attend.
This meeting will address outstanding matters of concern to both parties, primarily to Sinn Féin but also to the DUP.
Sinn Féin's complaint that the DUP was using its veto to block a number of matters arising from the 2006 St Andrews Agreement was the trigger for this brinkmanship battle.
Last night, however, Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness issued a joint statement saying they looked forward "to working together" as First Minister and Deputy First Minister.
"We recognise there are outstanding and unresolved issues that have been raised with the prime minister and will require urgent attention," they added.
The involvement of London and Dublin in these negotiations was prompted by a real concern that Sinn Féin would refuse to put forward Mr McGuinness for election as Deputy First Minister today which, because theirs is a joint office, would prevent the election of either the DUP or Sinn Féin politician.
In such an eventuality Northern Secretary Shaun Woodward would have been faced with the prospect of calling Assembly elections for this summer or the autumn, or else disbanding the Assembly and returning to British direct rule with an enhanced role for Dublin.
Sinn Féin complained that the DUP was using its veto to block movement on a wide range of issues such as the devolution of policing and justice, the Irish language, creating a stadium at the Maze and a replacement for the Eleven-Plus school transfer test.
In recent days Mr Cowen and Mr Brown were in regular telephone contact about the issue.
Last night Mr Cowen welcomed the joint statement from Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness.
Also last night, the Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said he was "very pleased" that he would nominate Mr McGuinness for Deputy First Minister today, thus ensuring that Mr Robinson also would be elected as First Minister.
Mr Brown also issued a statement confirming tomorrow's meeting. He said the issues raised by Sinn Féin would be discussed, as would matters of concern to the DUP such as parading and "continuing concerns around paramilitary organisations", which is understood to encompass the issue of the IRA army council.
"I remain committed to the continuing implementation of the St Andrews Agreement and to helping the parties to address those issues that have been raised with me and require resolution."
It is understood this particular sentence caused difficulty for Mr Robinson as the DUP continues to argue that the St Andrews Agreement was a deal between the British and Irish governments, and that the DUP was not signed up to every part of that agreement.
