Democratic Unionist leader the Reverend Ian Paisley today held crucial talks with the head of Northern Ireland's independent disarmament body as the pressure mounted on his party and Sinn Féin to endorse a new peace process deal.
The DUP leader arranged a meeting with General John de Chastelain in a bid to press home his party's demand for more transparent weapons decommissioning from the IRA.
It is the second time both of them have met this week and it follows hard on a warning from the Taoiseach Mr Ahern last night that both Governments have set a four-day deadline for agreement.
But emerging from today's talks Mr Paisley said: "It is amazing that the Prime Minister is in the business of setting deadlines for the incoming week when this most important matter has not been discussed with those whom we expect to decommission their illegal arsenal.
He said: "We are not going to be bluffed or buy a pig in a poke on a matter which affects the lives of the future and present generation of Ulster people."
Mr Paisley claimed the Republican Movement was holding up progress in the search for a new peace process deal.
After a meeting with Northern Ireland's most senior policeman Chief Constable Hugh Orde yesterday, Rev Paisley appeared to cast doubt on the prospect of a deal when he condemned reports that the withdrawal of British soldiers could be speeded up in the event of an agreement.
The North Antrim MP also insisted Sinn Féin would have to declare its hand before his party on whether it would sign up to the two Governments' formula for reviving power sharing at Stormont and removing the gun forever from Northern Ireland politics.
"This is not negotiations with Sinn Féin," he declared. "It's an ultimatum to Sinn Féin. Are you going to continue to be terrorists or are you going to quit your terrorist path?"
The North Antrim MP added: "I will have to do a good deal of swallowing. "I will have to do a good deal of biting my lip in future days but I'm prepared to do that provided they cease to be terrorists."
As Mr Paisley held talks with General de Chastelain, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams urged republicans not to be provoked by the DUP chief's remarks that he would have to bite his tongue if a deal was struck.
Mr Adams suggested that his bitter political enemy may be slowly and painfully coming round to the prospect of doing business.
He said: "The language he used is totally unacceptable and I think lots of people would find it very, very provocative. "It does make the whole issue of getting an agreement very frustrating indeed.
"But it's also the first begrudging, mixed up, convoluted acknowledgement by Ian Paisley of Sinn Féin's mandate." The West Belfast MP added that he had no knowledge of the detail surrounding the DUP's latest meeting with the disarmament body.
Mr Adams again appealed to Mr Paisley to agree to a deal that would lead to the restoration of the power-sharing government at Stormont.
It is believed the photographic issue has been a major sticking point in the efforts to achieve a deal, although it is possible that Catholic and Protestant clergy could witness an act of disarmament by the IRA along with General de Chastelain.