The Ulster Unionist leader expects the two governments to come forward with "hard and straightforward" proposals aimed at restoring devolution shortly after Easter.
Mr David Trimble was speaking in Belfast after defeating a leadership challenge and following a series of votes at his annual general meeting which strengthened his grip on his divided party.
Sweeping constitutional changes secured by the leadership at the meeting on Saturday will transform the UUP into what Mr Trimble called a "modern integrated party" and end its days as a series of semi-autonomous constituency associations.
Describing that as "the big story of the day", Mr Trimble also said the rules for summoning extraordinary meetings of the UUC would be tightened. Some 150 signatures will now be needed to call such a meeting, up from the previous 60.
He said the vote on his leadership was the "settled will of the party" and he looked to a "settled party" after a turbulent period marked by resignations, challenges and defections.
Describing himself as "euphoric" after securing just under 60 per cent of support among the 800-strong Ulster Unionist Council which governs the party, Mr Trimble looked to the future and forecast that the Independent Monitoring Commission would report soon on alleged paramilitary activity.
This, he said, could help facilitate Mr Tony Blair's return to Hillsborough next month for an intensive effort to achieve political progress after nearly 18 months of stalemate following the suspension of the Stormont institutions. He said: "I hope he does. And I hope we see the deadlock broken as a result of that."
His comments came at the end of a significant day for him. With his position enhanced, the constitution modified to his liking and his key allies in senior positions, Mr Trimble was clearly upbeat.
He was generous in his remarks concerning Mr David Hoey from Coleraine, Co Derry, and Mr Robert Oliver from Portadown, Co Armagh, who had stood against him.
Mr Hoey told The Irish Times after the election, in which he received nearly 22 per cent of votes, that he stood by his opinion of his leader but would not act against him.
Mr Oliver, who won nearly 18 per cent of votes, said he would back the party and the decisions of the UUC, but only if these decisions "are correct for the people of Northern Ireland".
Mr David Burnside, a key opponent who called on party members to support the challengers, said he accepted the result of the vote.
"That is a decision that I will abide by. But you can't expect me to change my view that long-term, the Ulster Unionists will not gain electoral strength until it gets a new, united leadership. The party is still fundamentally divided 60-40."
Another key rebel, the Rev Martin Smyth, lost his position as party president and is replaced by a Trimble loyalist, Lord Dennis Rogan.
Mr Smyth, the South Belfast MP who quit the party whip last summer, won 44 per cent of the vote to Lord Rogan's 56 per cent.
Other Trimble allies secured positions among the vice-presidents, treasurers, and honorary secretaries.
All sides called for a concerted effort to campaign for Mr Jim Nicholson in June's European Assembly election.
But Mr Trimble's opponents still hold to hopes that he will be gone by next year when the Westminster election is expected.