British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair will hold further talks this afternoon with Northern Ireland First Minister Mr David Trimble against a background of increasing acrimony between Ulster Unionists and Sinn Féin.
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Mr Trimble will be briefed on talks over IRA weapons
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Mr Blair is to brief the Mr Trimble on negotiations to resolve the issues of IRA disarmament, British army demilitarisation and nationalist policing concerns.
Senior Ulster Unionists in the party have been warning the talks appeared to be going backwards.
Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister Sir Reg Empey said the North's political institutions were coming under "great strain" because of the failure to break the deadlock over IRA disarmament, policing reforms and demilitarisation.
"It is a gross dereliction of duty to insist on particular demands and run the risk of wrecking everything. The system cannot stand much more of the strain," Mr Empey said.
"Nobody is going to get it 100 per cent right from the start. If you stick rigidly to having your own agenda implemented from the start the process is going to stand still," he said.
Northern Ireland Culture, Arts and Leisure minister Mr Michael McGimpsey said last night if the IRA did not put its weapons beyond use his party would continue to ban Sinn Féin ministers from cross-Border body meetings.
Mr Alex Maskey of Sinn Féin said he was "disappointed" by the tone of Mr McGimpsey's comments. With a general election looming the West Belfast MLA said the Ulster Unionist leadership was clearly worried about its electoral position. Mr Maskey insisted the onus was nevertheless on Mr Blair in the current negotiations.
The SDLP is also refusing to say if it will endorse the new policing arrangements but is under pressure to break ranks with Sinn Féin by joining the new Police Board to which the new Police Service of Northern Ireland will be answerable.
Northern Ireland security minister Mr Adam Ingram said yesterday almost 100 Catholics had applied to become independent members of the board.
In a written House of Common's answer, Mr Ingram said 191 Protestants, 98 Catholics and 49 people whose religion was given as "other", had applied.
PA