2000 Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern today briefed Northern Ireland's first minister David Trimble on efforts to break the deadlock on IRA decommissioning with time running out for the new Ulster executive. A bill freezing devolved institutions and re-imposing direct rule from Westminster is expected to pass through the House of Lords today and become law tomorrow unless the politicians can find a solution to the impasse. With the IRA having signally failed to produce any weapons, the interested parties are believed to be pressing the IRA into making a declaration restating their commitment to the peace process. He faces a showdown with his party at a crucial meeting on Saturday of his 850-strong ruling UUP council. Britain is preparing to suspend the executive, amid fears that Mr Trimble's resignation would trigger a total collapse of the Belfast executive.
Suspension is seen as the least undesirable option.
But even if the IRA gives commitments that satisfy the British and Irish governments, they could fail to satisfy Mr Trimble and his UUP, who insist on an early weapons handover.