David Trimble has cast doubt overthe success of the Belfast Agreement saying the British and Irish government’s efforts to compile a package of proposals to save the faltering process could be in vain unless paramilitary groups decommission their arms.
Linking paramilitary disarmament to the success of the accord, Mr Trimble said a failure by the IRA and loyalist paramilitaries to decommission could result in another review of the Agreement in the autumn and he might ultimately have to accept that the deal he signed up to cannot be implemented.
Mr Trimble, who resigned as Northern Ireland First Minister to force the disarmament issue said: "My prime objective is to see this Agreement implemented and fully implemented and that is the sole reason behind what I have been doing over the last few months.
"But there are obviously other possibilities in the situation if it turns out we cannot implement it fully because the paramilitaries won't abide by their own obligations underneath it."
He made his comments in an interview with BBC News 24which will be broadcast fully on tomorrow night.
Meanwhile, Irish and British officials continue to meet as Bertie Ahern and Mr Blair try to find a way of keeping the devolved power-sharing administration in Belfast afloat by finding a formula all the parties can support.
It would see the full implementation of the BelfastAgreement with paramilitary decommissioning, British demilitarisation and policing reforms acceptable to both unionists and nationalists.
The parties had been expecting to receive the Government's ideas early this week, but finding the formula seems to be proving more difficult thaninitially anticipated.
The Northern Ireland Office today declined to comment on Mr Trimble's remarks until they had seen the full interview.
A spokesman also refused to confirm a report that the package included proposals for an indemnity law to cover all crimes committed during nearly 30 years of conflict.
It was said it would have the effect of "closing the books" by giving an amnesty which would benefit republicans and loyalists not brought to book for crimes and members of the security forces linked to unsolved murders and other crimes.
The NIO said: "We will not speculate what is in the package. The parties will see it when it is complete."
However, today's Sunday Timesquoted the Government as saying: "If we can get everybody to look forward and not back, then this formula, which will be difficult and unpalatable for many people, will hopefully encourage reconciliation and not recrimination."
The Government officials are expected to meet in London and Dublin as well as Belfast as they continue their work on the proposals.