The Sinn Féin president, Mr Gerry Adams, will come under strong pressure from Mr Tony Blair today to use his influence to persuade the IRA to disband and disarm.
Harsh words are expected in Downing Street today when a Sinn Féin delegation led by Mr Adams meets the British prime minister.
Mr Blair is said to be furious over the alleged IRA infiltration of Dr John Reid's Northern Ireland Office and over the crisis that has caused to an already troubled political process.
Mr Adams is likely to protest that the timing of the raids that led to the IRA espionage allegations was designed to switch any blame for the collapse of the Executive from First Minister Mr David Trimble back onto Sinn Féin.
He yesterday claimed that the alleged discovery of an IRA mole in the Northern Ireland Office was part of a British intelligence "sting operation" designed to damage Sinn Féin.
He will also express Sinn Féin's anger at the PSNI raid on the party's Stormont offices.
At a press conference yesterday Mr Adams said British intelligence was constantly monitoring him and his family.
"Everywhere I go the bug goes," he said.
Mr Blair is expected to respond that irrespective of conspiracy theories or the nature of Friday's raid, the Northern Secretary, Dr Reid, had warned republicans that if the IRA continued to engage in clandestine activity it inevitably would be discovered and the political process inevitably damaged.
Mr Blair is also said to feel a degree of personal betrayal over the spying allegations because of political risks he took to keep Sinn Féin central to the political process.
Mr Blair may also convey that sense of disappointment to Mr Adams.
He will demand that Mr Adams exert pressure on the IRA to move towards disbandment and decommissioning, and insist that this is the only way to rebuild unionist faith in the agreement.
Mr Adams, at yesterday's press conference, said he would tell Mr Blair that the goal of the British and Irish governments must be to "minimise" any damage to the Belfast Agreement caused by unionists leaving the Executive.
Mr Adams said he too wanted to reach a stage where the IRA was no longer in existence but that it was unlikely to happen in the short term, particularly under the current confrontational political circumstances.
"My objective is exactly the same as David Trimble's, if he is stating a genuine objective," he said.
"Now if he is playing games with this, if he thinks Santa Claus is going to come down the chimney because he puts up a shopping list and demands the disbandment of the IRA by January 18th then of course it is a different proposition," the Sinn Féin president said.
Mr Adams also spoke of his opposition to any suspension of the Executive, Assembly, and other institutions of the agreement.
The Sinn Féin president said republicans were wedded to the political process "because it is the only way forward".
He indicated he had some understanding of why unionists might have difficulties with the allegations that the IRA was spying on Dr Reid's confidential correspondence. "I can understand totally why there can be unionist concerns about the good intentions or the integrity of Sinn Féin.
"I can understand that, and acknowledge that totally," he added.
Mr Adams said that the only threat to peace came from loyalist paramilitaries and that the suspension of the institutions would only serve the interests of anti-agreement unionists.
Sinn Féin health minister, Ms Bairbre de Brun, Mr Caoimhghín O Caoláin TD, and education minister Mr Martin McGuinness are joining Mr Adams this morning at Downing Street.
Dr Reid is accompanying Mr Blair to the meeting.
Mr McGuinness meanwhile in an interview in yesterday's Irish News said that the IRA was committed to its ceasefire.
When asked would the IRA return or be dragged back to violence, Mr McGuinness responded: "As a republican leader I am very pleased the IRA has not fallen into that trap.
"The peace process has to continue and every effort has to be made to get the Good Friday agreement back on track."
