The British and Irish Governments were tonight warned that unionists will torpedo their proposals to rescue the peace process if they do not force the IRA to disarm.
As officials in London and Dublin fine-tuned their package to save the Good Friday Agreement, Ulster Unionist minister Sir Reg Empey and Assembly colleague Mr Fred Cobain insisted the paramilitary weapons issue had to be addressed.
With the governments expected to release the proposals on Friday, Sir Reg, who is the Stormont Economy Minister, insisted the UUP was "not prepared to allow Sinn Fein to continue as Executive ministers while the IRA continues to break its public promise to decommission its weaponry.
"If the proposed package does not deal with the decommissioning issue effectively, then it is unacceptable."
North Belfast MLA Mr Fred Cobain also dismissed proposals on decommissioning, policing and demilitarisation floated in several press reports. ( Reports on agreement proposals)
He said, if these proposals are put forward, they would be "rejected outright" by the UUP.
But Sinn Fein MLA Mr Gerry Kelly accused Mr Cobain of "jumping the gun" but said republicans were looking to the governments to bridge the gap from what was discussed at the recent Weston Park talks and the Good Friday Agreement.
With the nationalist SDLP under pressure to endorse policing reforms and join the Police Board, Assembly member Mr Alban Maginness insisted his party would be judging the package against Patten.
"If our demands are satisfied, if Patten is faithfully and fully implemented, then our position is: we will endorse the new policing arrangements and we will make an independent decision irrespective of what Sinn Fein or anyone else decides."
Earlier Democratic Unionist Party deputy leader Mr Peter Robinson said there is a human rights obligation to publicise the new proposals. He said it was "essential" that all parties see the document.
Ahead of a meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Mr John Reid, he said the governments could not ignore his party's mandate by denying it access to the proposals later this week.
PA