British and Irish officials are today continuing their efforts to devise proposals on policing, demilitarisation and putting arms beyond use that can win the endorsement of the pro-Belfast Agreement parties.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, are maintaining their close involvement in the talks. They spoke by telephone yesterday on the current stage of the negotiations.
At this intensive and potentially make-or-break stage, all sides are cautious and muted to avoid comments that could destroy the chances of a deal.
Sinn Fein, following weekend comments by party leader Mr Gerry Adams, maintained the view yesterday that no substantive progress has been achieved although this is disputed by the British and Irish governments and the SDLP.
British and Irish sources said the two governments, Sinn Fein, the SDLP and the Ulster Unionists were "fully focused and working tirelessly" to end the impasse.
They said the talks were moving forward but there were outstanding difficulties, particularly on policing, to be resolved. Mr Ahern and Mr Blair were available to fly to Northern Ireland at short notice, the sources added, but this would only happen if a deal seemed likely.
An SDLP delegation led by party leader Mr John Hume and Deputy First Minister Mr Seamus Mallon held two hours of talks with new Northern Secretary Dr John Reid at Stormont yesterday evening. They discussed the recent loyalist attacks on Catholics, but on the negotiations the main concentration was on policing.
SDLP Assembly member Mr Alex Attwood, who was part of the delegation, said the British government had to meet more of its concerns before the SDLP could sign up to the proposed policing changes.
Mr Attwood would not be drawn on whether a deal was likely or possible this week. If the talks continue to drift, the looming general election and pressure by anti-agreement Ulster Unionists to impose additional sanctions on Sinn Fein could jeopardise its chances.
"Those who characterise these negotiations as making no progress do not characterise accurately what is happening. Equally, those who characterise them as making conclusive progress do not characterise them accurately either," he said.
DUP leader Rev Ian Paisley last night claimed that with the current level of violence the RUC could not afford to scale down the force, including the full-time and part-time reserve.
"Such is the level of threat, this province cannot also afford the closure of the army watchtowers. The government must not surrender on this point despite the pressure on them to do so from republicans because there is a serious threat at this time," he said.
