THE Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, has said that the political discussions at Stormont over decommissioning and the establishment of an executive have reached the "most critical phase".
Mr Adams was speaking as the parties held further discussions at Stormont yesterday as part of Senator George Mitchell's review of implementation of the Belfast Agreement. Mr Adams said the deadlock had still to be resolved.
"The process is under very severe attack from rejectionists, who range from those elements, on a daily basis almost, who are attacking nationalists, right to those who are challenging their own political leadership."
Mr Adams said he understood the difficulties the process presents for the Ulster Unionists, but the best opportunity for the political leaders was to take command and to take charge. "Like all political opportunities, it has to be seized, and we think the urgency of the situation means that the opportunity has to be seized sooner rather than later."
The SDLP deputy leader, Mr Seamus Mallon, said he was "not sure" if a deal would be done at Stormont. "The question of a `soft landing' - and everybody knows what that means - means the review will not have been the success that it should have been. That is a harsh reality. We either succeed in this or we don't succeed."
He confirmed that the SDLP had put proposals last night to Senator Mitchell to unblock the impasse. "The reality is that here we have the entire potential of the Good Friday agreement. Here we have the entire political process. We have Senator Mitchell, with his close alliance with the White House, and the two governments, and most importantly all of the people of this island waiting for the two parties to make their decisions."
Mr Sean Farren, the SDLP's senior negotiator, criticised anti-agreement unionists for turning their backs on their leader, Mr David Trimble, and on the Belfast Agreement.
Mr Farren said the prospects for a successful outcome to the review had "never been better". He was speaking as Mr Trimble briefed his party executive about the negotiations at Stormont. Mr Farren said that anti-agreement unionists should support their party rather than engaging in "opportunistic attacks".
A number of pro-agreement supporters handed over a bunch of white lilies to politicians at Stormont; earlier, two loyalists holding Union flags staged a short protest at Castle Buildings.