Democratic Unionist leader Ian Paisley has rejected an assertion by British prime minister Tony Blair that a date had been set for the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
As both governments held crisis talks in a bid to revive power-sharing in the North, Mr Paisley today disputed claims that a deal had been struck to hand over the responsibilities to a locally elected minister by May 2008.
He said: "I do not agree with the statement of the prime minister when he claims that we, the DUP, agreed there could be devolution of policing and justice within a certain time limit."
Mr Paisley also said similar claims by Sinn Fein and other unionists that there was a date were "completely untrue".
"I would ask the prime minister to say when this meeting takes place, who asked the question. There is a triple lock in place, when policing is devolved it goes back to the First Minister," he said.
Downing Street has refused to comment on any private conversations with the political parties.
But a spokesman said the Prime Minister's assessment was based on what should happen if Sinn Fein delivers fully on its commitment to support the police and the rule of law.
Minister for Foreign Dermot Ahern said if elections to the Assembly in March were to go ahead there needed to clarity from both sides.
Speaking after a meeting with Northern Secretary Peter Hain in Dundalk today, Mr Ahern said Sinn Fein would have to clarify the party's position on policing and the DUP would have to make clear its readiness to implement the St Andrew's agreement and participate in devolved government.
He warned that legislation was in place to dissolve the Assembly on January 30th and if agreement was not reached by this time devolution would have to be shelved in favour of a partnership agreement between the governments.
Sinn Féin's national executive has backed moves by Gerry Adams to hold an ardfheis on policing this month. But the staging of the conference depends on the response of the two Governments and the Democratic Unionists to Mr Adams's move.
During last week, Sinn Féin cast doubt on whether the conference could go ahead, after the party said it was still waiting for a positive response from the DUP.
Sinn Fein's officer board is meeting in Dublin tomorrow. Senior figures in the party will be reviewing progress since the party's leadership agreed to call an ardfheis.
In an article in today's Irish Times, Mr Blair urged Sinn Féin and the DUP to seize the opportunity to restore power-sharing.
"Over the coming days, there will be republicans convinced that the DUP never really means to share power and will ask what the point is of an ardfheis," he said.
"There will be unionists who will seize on any hesitation to say we told you so: Sinn Féin were never serious about changing policy on policing. Both will be wrong. But if we don't get action - the ardfheis on one side, powersharing on March 26th on the other - we will never know," he said.
In the article, Mr Blair also lauded the "historic" moves by Sinn Féin's leadership.
"I recall time and time again being told: the IRA will never decommission; they will never give up violence; they will never commit to exclusively peaceful means. But they have done all these things," he said.
"Sinn Féin has demonstrated one of the most remarkable examples of leadership I have come across in modern politics. It has been historic and it has been real."
Mr Blair warned all sides not to let the current opportunity for the restoration of devolution slip through their fingers.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday it would be "inexcusable" if the efforts towards returning the power-sharing executive in Stormont in March were to stall.
"We have a difficult issue to deal with, this is a realistic time frame it is achievable if everybody plays their part and is committed to it. I think people need to be very clear, I think people have to be very clear where we stand," Mr Ahern said.
"It would be inexcusable, inexplicable if the process was to stall at this stage, and every effort has to be made to make sure that does not happen."
Mr Ahern said the Sinn Féin ardfheis must be held this month so elections could be held. He called for a decision to be made in the next few days.
By May 2008 policing and justice powers are due to be devolved to local politicians under a blueprint sent to the Assembly last month. An executive government of the Assembly is due to be formed on March 26th with Dr Paisley as First Minister and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness as his deputy.
PA