Unionists in Northern Ireland have been called to rally under a banner of unity ahead of Assembly elections scheduled for May 1st.
But the initiative, promoted by leading Ulster Unionist sceptics, has hit early problems with renewed attacks on Mr David Trimble by the DUP centring on the Belfast Agreement, and further evidence of unionist splits.
The latest unity initiative, a series of six guidance points called the Stormont Principles and already nick-named "Geoffrey's Charter", is backed by the anti-Agreement MP Mr Geoffrey Donaldson, the South Antrim MP, Mr David Burnside and by Mr Trimble's predecessor as leader, Lord Molyneaux.
The launch of the principles, pushed by a London umbrella unionist organisation Friends of the Union, some church figures and a former senior RUC officer, lay down general points on which all unionists could agree.
These include a demand for the disbandment of all paramilitary organisations, the right of Northern Ireland to self-determination without outside pressure, the involvement of parties without paramilitary links in the political process, and promotion of the Union.
Ulster Unionist MP Mr David Burnside has backed the proposal. The South Antrim MP said he was "100 per cent behind" the launch of the "Stormont Principles" - an attempt to establish a set of guiding principles ahead of the next Assembly election.
"This is an attempt to re-establish a clear bottom line in unionism, having seen what has gone on over the past five years since the signing of the Belfast Agreement," he said.
The DUP, which views the initiative as an effort to bolster UUP poll ratings, stayed away from the event organised to publicise the principles and no leader turned up. Only three Ulster Unionist Assembly members appeared and another unionist turned up to express dissent.