Some progress, said Tony Blair. Neither breakdown, nor breakthrough, according to Gerry Adams. So, against a rapidly approaching deadline, more work needs to be done to unlock the cage that is imprisoning the opportunity for "real politics" in Northern Ireland.
The British Prime Minister and the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, will meet at the British-Irish Council gathering in Dublin on Tuesday, when they will assess whether or not the deadlock can be broken. They are examining two formulae: a grand and ambitious plan that could Houdini-like secure the political and peace processes, or a smaller-scale package that would provide only a degree of interim relief.
On BBC's Good Morning Ulster yesterday Mr Blair said the hurdles could be surmounted if the political will was there.
After a long day of talks at Hillsborough Castle he confidently told reporters he had now established that the pro-agreement politicians were imbued with that will.
Ergo, if there is to be any logic to his morning and evening remarks, a deal should be possible, perhaps next week, perhaps the week after. If it goes much beyond the end of January, with elections looming, Mr Blair will have misread the willingness he perceived in Seamus Mallon, Gerry Adams and David Trimble.
"A good day's work," was how a senior Irish official characterised yesterday's negotiations at Hillsborough chaired by Mr Blair. "We did make progress," agreed one of his British counterparts. "We want to sort things out," said Mr Adams. "I am hopeful," said Mr Mallon.
Politicians aren't giving much away at the moment. They might talk in broad brush strokes but they tend to clam up when it comes to detail. Yet in terms of the "mood music" the Sinn Fein, SDLP and Ulster Unionist protagonists are being very steady.
So far nobody is panicking, and none on the pro-Belfast Agreement side is engaging in recrimination. That doesn't tell us how a deal might be done, but as Mr Blair says it indicates a willingness to do a deal. And that's important.
The current emphasis is on the big plan. The lesser plan centres on a possible deal whereby the Ulster Unionists would lift the ban on Sinn Fein ministers attending North-South Ministerial Council meetings while the IRA would lift the phone again to Gen John de Chastelain.
Gerry Adams and David Trimble and Seamus Mallon at least are at one here, in that they believe that such a package would merely be a temporary patch-up, and probably ultimately doomed by the machinations of anti-agreement unionists. So the concentration is on an "all-embracing" agreement that tackles the interlocking issues of demilitarisation, policing, putting IRA arms beyond use and lifting the unionist veto on Sinn Fein ministers.
"We want something that will stick," said Seamus Mallon on BBC's Hearts and Minds last night. However, he is still not prepared to adopt the police reform package, notwithstanding being urged to so do by the nationalist Irish News yesterday.
But, indicated Mr Mallon, progress was being made. He believed there was an opportunity to settle on a formula that would obviate the need to suspend the Assembly or Executive, ahead of the Westminster elections.
He has set out the measures he requires for the SDLP to sign up to the policing proposals. He particularly wants Mr Mandelson to commit himself to independent inquiries into the killings of Pat Finucane, Rosemary Nelson and Robert Hamill.
It was interesting that Mr Hamill's sister, Diane, met Mr Blair at Hillsborough yesterday. And it was significant that she found the experience productive, believing that such an inquiry will happen, although she was uncertain about the time-frame. Room for movement there on the inquiries question.
Equally, republicans and the British government know what is required on demilitarisation and the British army watchtowers in south Armagh. We'll start tossing the observation posts if the IRA meaningfully engages with the decommissioning body, Mr Mandelson has effectively pledged.
It's still very fraught, but with the right will the issues of "decom and demil" could be solved. The SDLP could endorse the policing package. The Ulster Unionists could lift the NSMC ban. But if the grand plan is to be achieved Sinn Fein must also be prepared to sign up to new policing arrangements. Now there's a tough one.
REPUBLICAN sources insist that Sinn Fein genuinely wants a new police force which it can encourage nationalists to join. They also insist that the Police Act is fatally flawed. At Hillsborough on Wednesday night and yesterday, significantly, the main focus of Mr Adams's talks with Mr Blair was on policing, not demilitarisation.
Sinn Fein still says the Act must be amended. Almost everybody else says that won't happen. Sinn Fein put new proposals to Mr Blair on policing that, according to Mr Adams, go beyond the set of seven demands by the SDLP. Mr Blair said he would consider these proposals and report back to Mr Adams.
The big test, if the grander ambition is to have any chance of implementation, is for the British and Irish officials to try to meet Sinn Fein half way, or more, on policing, without totally antagonising unionists.
Objectively, cobbling a deal on policing that satisfies Sinn Fein and other pro-agreement unionists and nationalists seems a very tall order. But, according to the governments and the main parties, while difficult it is not impossible.
The DUP and other anti-agreement unionists were also at Hillsborough yesterday, insisting that the Belfast Agreement was doomed. And if there is to be agreement in the next two weeks that may be the spur. If the pro-agreement parties can't pull together then the No unionists will be proved correct.
The mutual self-interest of Yes nationalists, republicans and unionists may be the best chance of safeguarding the Belfast Agreement.