Unionist leaders Mr David Trimble and the Rev Ian Paisley are to hold talks on the future of policing in the North.
A UUP spokesman yesterday confirmed a "purely exploratory" meeting between Mr Trimble and Dr Paisley was expected early this week, perhaps as early as today. The DUP deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson, said the two parties should unite over shared concerns about the British government's revised implementation plan for a new police service.
"I think at the very least we should be getting together to draw up an agreed list of various areas where we need changes, so when we negotiate with the government we are at least singing from the same hymn sheet," Mr Robinson said.
The development comes as a meeting of the 120-strong UUP executive on Saturday unanimously supported a motion pledging to continue pressing the Northern Secretary, Dr John Reid, for concessions.
The motion outlined "the leader's determination to resolve satisfactorily with the Secretary of State a number of fundamental issues regarding the Policing Board and the police implementation plan before any further decision is given by the Ulster Unionist Party to nominating members to the Policing Board".
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Trimble said his party had concerns about the effectiveness of the new force.
"A number of colleagues here today, particularly those from north Belfast, gave graphic descriptions of how during the course of this summer they felt there was not effective policing in a number of areas in North Belfast.
"Obviously, against that background any further changes in numbers and structures would be very worrying indeed."
The UUP anti-Agreement MP, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, who publicly called for a united front within unionism last July, welcomed Mr Trimble's decision to meet the DUP leader. "I am pleased the party is exploring the possibility of co-operation," he said.
Individual UVF members may have been involved in the attempted car-bombing of a Ballycastle fair in Co Antrim last week, according to Mr David Ervine of the PUP.
Security sources claimed the UVF was involved despite a claim of responsibility by the Red Hand Defenders, widely regarded as a cover name for the UDA and LVF.
Initially, Mr David Ervine stressed he had been told by the loyalist paramilitary group that they had not sanctioned last Tuesday's failed attack on the Auld Lammas Fair.
However, he told the BBC on Saturday: "We are going to have to wait and see what way the chips fall on this one. It is my understanding, a very clear understanding told to me with some anger, that the UVF was not responsible.
"I can't, and I imagine they can't, stand over every single member they have and say that absolutely no member was involved."
Mr Ervine described those who carried out the attack as "idiots". He said there was a "capacity for people who are in one organisation or another to have strange friendships with dissident groups".