The outcome will determine the fate of the Good Friday agreement. At the same time, Mr Adams was trying to calm republican fears of a Sinn Fein leadership sellout on IRA weapons. He said there were no secret deals. His conciliatory tone was highlighted in an extraordinary tribute to Mr Trimble. He identified him as crucial in securing the IRA's statement last week that it would shortly appoint a middle man to General John de Chastelain's international commission on decommissioning.
Unionists have nothing to fear from sharing power with republicans.
All the parties in the Mitchell review are agreed the issue of arms will finally and satisfactorily be settled by the De Chastelain commission as set out in the agreement, that decommissioning is a voluntary process, and that all parties to the agreement have an obligation to help bring this about. His attempt to appeal to different audiences was best illustrated by his references to Sinn Fein negotiators Martin Ferris and Pat Doherty. Comments attributed to them in the US threw doubt on the prospects of decommissioning. Both of them speedily moved to reiterate their commitment to this process and to challenge the spin that was put upon their comments. I myself was moved to give reassurance to the Ulster Unionists.