The basic principles for resolving the arms decommissioning impasse have been agreed in the Stormont talks, but major differences remain on timing and implementation, and the resumed negotiations next week are likely to be difficult.
The Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister return to Belfast on Monday morning for what is expected to be a tough and sustained period of negotiations ahead of Wednesday's deadline for agreement.
The meetings with different parties yesterday were considered a partial success which laid the groundwork for next week's talks.
The details still have to be worked out, and there are serious differences between the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Fein.
Mr Blair and Mr Ahern focused their attention on securing an acknowledgment from the pro-agreement parties, especially Sinn Fein, that they were committed to the following principles:
An inclusive executive exercising devolved powers.
Decommissioning of all paramilitary arms by May 2000.
Decommissioning to be carried out in a manner determined by the Independent Commission on Decommissioning.
The Taoiseach and Prime Minister held a brief press conference to announce the agreement on principles, but allowed no questions from the media.
Shortly afterwards, the Sinn Fein vice-president, Mr Pat Doherty, read a prepared statement which welcomed an assertion from the two prime ministers that the Belfast Agreement was "binding" and "the context for moving forward".
In what was seen as a significant passage, Mr Doherty said: "The three principles that they put forward, firmly bedded in the terms of the Good Friday agreement, can resolve the impasse if there is the political will."
A commitment to IRA decommissioning remained essential, however, according to the UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, who said he hoped that republicans were "making their own Damascus road conversion by accepting their obligation to decommission". The day began with the main parties giving non-committal reactions to an article in the Times of London by Mr Blair in which he suggested Sinn Fein could be admitted to government without prior decommissioning provided there was "a clear guarantee of decommissioning by Sinn Fein" under a 10-month timetable laid down by Gen John de Chastelain.
In a key phrase, Mr Blair added that there should be "a cast-iron, fail-safe device that if it [decommissioning] didn't happen according to the timetable, that executive couldn't continue".
Privately, senior unionists compared the Prime Minister's remarks favourably with his speech at Stranmillis College during a recent visit, which was felt to be unduly close to the Sinn Fein position. Republicans were adamant that Sinn Fein could not guarantee decommissioning by the IRA which, they insisted, despite the Prime Minister's claims to the contrary was a separate organisation.
Sinn Fein sources warned against confusion over the joint press statement issued by Mr Blair and Mr Ahern. The principles enunciated by the two prime ministers were "bedded firmly in the Good Friday agreement".
Grave doubt still remains about the ability of the UUP leadership to sell any compromise to its grassroots supporters, many of whom are only interested in prior disposal of guns by the IRA. Mr Blair appears to be trying to provide Mr Trimble with a shield against his internal party critics by attaching conditions to the existence of any executive formed in the absence of decommissioning.
Meanwhile, it was announced that the US member of Gen de Chastelain's decommissioning body, Mr Donald C. Johnson, had told the two governments last month he would be standing down "for career reasons" from July 2nd. He will be replaced by another American, Mr Andrew Sens.