A conditional pledge that former IRA members could be part of the new policing arrangements is understood to be part of the British and Irish governments' plans to restore the collapsed Northern Executive and Assembly.
The two governments have embarked on a new initiative to resuscitate the political process. They hope multi-party talks next Thursday and amendments to policing legislation will pave the way for restoring devolution.
Dublin and London will attempt to persuade Sinn Féin to join the Policing Board; the IRA to dramatically demonstrate that its members are no longer active; and the parties to ensure that the institutions of the Belfast Agreement can be stabilised.
Their biggest gamble could be a commitment that if Sinn Féin joined the Policing Board, that as part of the new policing legislation former paramilitaries would be allowed to join the District Policing Partnerships (DPPs).
One well-placed Dublin source said such a conditional pledge was being considered. Dublin and London were conscious of unionist difficulties but if Sinn Féin ended up on the board, they might be persuaded this was a key indication that the IRA's war was truly over, the source said.
Such a conditional pledge could open the door for the IRA to make the "quantum leap" that the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, insists is the only means of breaking the political impasse.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, and the Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, wrote to all the Northern parties inviting them to talks at Parliament Buildings, Stormont next Thursday.
They want parties to spell out what they require from the governments and the other parties to help restore the institutions. "We need to focus on the key issues early, with a view to re-establishing conditions for devolved government in advance of the scheduled Assembly elections," they said.
Mr Murphy said the parties would have to determine for themselves why Northern Ireland no longer had an Executive or an Assembly. "We want something that is sharp and that will address all the issues," he told The Irish Times.
In tandem with the talks, the British government will publish its new policing legislation next week to deal with issues such ensuring the PSNI is held accountable to the Policing Board.
The British monarch in her Queen's speech to the House of Lords yesterday confirmed that there would be new policing legislation and the British government would continue to work with the Irish Government and the political parties to "fully implement the Belfast Agreement".
The Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, said his party would engage in the talks but said that they must not be characterised as negotiations. "There is nothing to negotiate," he said.
"The problem is that republicans have not kept their promises. They must keep their promises to be committed to exclusively peaceful means, to keep their promises to decommission."
Sinn Féin's chief negotiator, Mr Martin McGuinness, welcoming the talks, said that the two governments must publish a plan to demonstrate that all outstanding features of the Belfast Agreement will be implemented.
"We need to see the political institutions put back in place and all outstanding issues resolved. But there can be no question of a renegotiation of the agreement," he added.
The SDLP leader, Mr Mark Durkan, said "The SDLP recognises there are real confidence issues surrounding the actions of republicans paramilitaries - not least the apparent spy ring. Nationalists have real confidence issues too that must equally be addressed on power-sharing and the threat from loyalists," he added.
"...These talks must also be about the agreement's implementation and not its renegotiation."
The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, said his party would not participate in the talks.
"The Democratic Unionist party will not be participating in any process that is designed to resuscitate the failed agreement or reviving Sinn Féin/IRA's place in government. For a Dublin minister to be co-chairing discussions about the internal affairs of Northern Ireland adds insult to injury," he said.
Big bang needed in peace process: page 14
Editorial comment: page 15
