The Sinn Fein president has described contentious parades as "the acid test" of the British government. Mr Gerry Adams said the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, would also be judged by his stance on the issue.
The parades controversy dominated the last Sinn Fein press conference of the campaign, held in Belfast yesterday. Mr Adams was asked to respond to Mr Trimble's demand he "call his dogs off" so the dispute over the Drumcree parade could be resolved.
"One hard word borrows another," Mr Adams said. "And when Mr Trimble goes into negative mode it nearly invites others to take up the same stance." Mr Trimble had to talk to the people of Garvaghy Road, Portadown, in his own constituency.
"I am prepared to go anywhere, to meet anyone, at any time, to try and figure out or to find a way to get an accommodation over these contentious marches." Sinn Fein had a "very clear" line: until residents of nationalist areas agreed, the British government could not allow contentious parades through and the Irish Government should make this position known to the British.
"I particularly want to appeal to our friends within the Church of Ireland to make sure that their churches aren't used in the way that they have been used around some of these more contentious marches."
Turning to the broader political scene, he said: "I think and I have always had this conviction that the UUP are going to talk to Sinn Fein. When they do it is a question which can only be answered by them."
Mr Adams found Monday's keynote election address by Mr Trimble disappointing". "I don't think it was aimed at nationalists. It was aimed at unionists."
He continued: "David Trimble intellectually knows there has to be change, knows he has to play a role in it, knows there's changes coming and knows that he has to implement, not just this agreement, but the other needs that a peace settlement demands.
"But emotionally he is in the No camp. When his emotions and his intellect are harmonised then you'll see the entire process staring to click."
Asked what he believed should happen after the Assembly elections, Mr Adams said: "All of the institutions and the infrastructure which can be set up as quickly as possible should be set up as quickly as possible."
When it was put to him that a period of time would be needed to establish the nature of the different ministries, Mr Adams said: "There's a difference between common sense, working out all of those issues, and deliberately prevaricating and slowing up and trying to minimise all of this."
In a statement last night, the Sinn Fein chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, called on the SDLP, given Mr Trimble's support for the Orange parade down the Garvaghy Road, to withdraw its instruction to nationalists to give preference votes to the UUP.
The days of "tribal voting" in the North, with people marching into sectarian cul-de-sacs could well be numbered, the Workers' Party has said. Party spokesman, Mr John Lowry, believed the mood of voters had changed: "It is quite clear that many people realise that this election is not just another sectarian headcount, but it is about real issues."