The North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, is to hold historic face-to-face talks with the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, at Stormont on Thursday. This was confirmed after the first tentative exchanges between the two at Stormont yesterday.
The date of the much-awaited meeting was revealed by Mr Adams after yesterday's round-table session at Stormont, which was boycotted by the Democratic Unionists and the UK Unionists because of Sinn Fein's presence. Thursday's meeting will also be attended by the Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon.
However, despite such signs of apparent progress, the peace process has still not overcome the major stumbling-block of the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons. The issue surfaced at yesterday's meeting, creating the only tense moment between Mr Trimble and Mr Adams in an otherwise constructive meeting at which the two reportedly addressed each other in a businesslike manner.
Sinn Fein remains adamant that the party's entry to cabinet cannot be made conditional on decommissioning. The Ulster Unionists insist that decommissioning must take place in advance of Sinn Fein ministers taking office.
After the meeting, the SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, stressed the importance of moving ahead with the formation of an executive as soon as possible. Privately, SDLP sources have expressed anxiety that the proceedings of the Assembly, which resume next Monday, will turn into a shouting match if an executive is not in place and pursuing an agreed programme.
However, senior UUP sources said that they could not agree an executive until they were convinced that all were "committed exclusively to peace".
Yesterday's discussion among party leaders focused on a document prepared by civil servants outlining a variety of proposals for restructuring government departments in Northern Ireland.
The Irish Times has learnt that proposals to set up a new department of equality and a separate department of regeneration and development were considered at the meeting.
There are six departments at present, but most parties favour increasing this number to 10. Proposals are being considered for a new department of equality to promote and monitor the rights and opportunities of citizens. The department of regeneration and development would seek to undo some of the damage caused by 30 years of conflict and would probably have a significant brief in the area of community relations. A department of arts, culture and heritage is also envisaged.
The share-out of ministries would be as follows: UUP 3; SDLP 3; DUP 2; Sinn Fein 2.