Irish and British officials are working on clarifying outstanding elements of the governments' blueprint for restoring devolution, which they hope to have completed for tomorrow night's potentially crucial meeting of the DUP executive.
The officials in consultation with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, are preparing responses for the DUP and Sinn Féin to their queries about elements of the governments' proposals designed to reinstate the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly.
The Sinn féin ardchomhairle will discuss the blueprint at a meeting in Dublin today, while in Belfast tomorrow night, the 80- 100 members of the DUP's executive will consider the proposals.
Sources said that the responses should be completed before the DUP executive meeting but not for the Sinn Féin gathering.
While the DUP executive will have an important say in whether the party runs with the proposals, the governments and Sinn féin are convinced that the success or failure of these talks is ultimately down to whether the DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, advises acceptance or rejection of the blueprint.
After a flurry of activity in London yesterday involving Mr Ahern, Mr Blair, Dr Paisley, Sinn Féin leaders Mr Gerry Adams and Mr Martin McGuinness, the UUP leader Mr David Trimble, and the SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan, there was talk of continuing progress. However there was still no clear indication of whether a deal was possible.
The Taoiseach, while prepared to allow more time for clarification, was adamant that a final call must be made either by the parties or the governments in the coming days. One senior source said this process could last until the middle but not beyond the end of next week.
In the absence of agreement, Mr Ahern said the governments would publish their proposals to allow the public to assess them.
In such an eventuality, the governments would develop their Plan B, which would involve a political cost to those parties held responsible for the failure of these talks, sources indicated.
The key issue continues to revolve around whether the decommissioning issue can be resolved or at least finessed, it is understood.
Last night there was still no sign of middle ground being established between the DUP's demand for future photographic proof of IRA disarmament and the Sinn Féin line that decommissioning is solely a matter for the IRA and the decommissioning body.
It was evident however that Dr Paisley has radically softened his position on the future of the IRA, if it ended activity and decommissioned. Earlier this year he was demanding that not only must the IRA disband but Sinn Féin must do so as well. Yesterday he appeared prepared to accept the IRA ending up as an "old boys' association".
He suggested that were a deal done the Executive and Assembly could be fully re-formed by next April, although the governments are understood to favour the institutions back in action by March.
Lord Kilclooney (formerly Mr John Taylor), the UUP Assembly member for Strangford, said both the DUP and Sinn Féin were "to be congratulated and encouraged to finalise" an agreement.
"When there is obvious political movement the two governments are wrong to set a deadline for agreement. It is better to allow more time when both parties are struggling to reach agreement.
"There should be more encouragement to the DUP and Sinn Féin, rather than set a premature closing date and thus the probable loss of an agreement," Lord Kilclooney added.
Mr Durkan said he had a "good and constructive" meeting with the Taoiseach yesterday. He said, however, that the blueprint could weaken the Belfast Agreement and there were too many concessions to the DUP.
"We want to be a bulwark for the agreement and its values," Mr Durkan said. "We don't just want a deal done now that falls apart tomorrow."
