The leader of the Ulster Unionist Party has comfortably overcome what his supporters believe was an effective challenge to his leadership from Mr Jeffrey Donaldson. However Mr David Trimble has warned that he may again resign as First Minister if sanctions are not taken against Sinn Féin.
The Ulster Unionist Party's executive on Saturday overwhelmingly rejected a motion from Lagan Valley MP Mr Donaldson calling for a withdrawal of party ministers from the executive by July 1st if Sinn Féin was not expelled from the devolved administration.
The pro-Belfast Agreement UUP camp interpreted the motion as part of a move ultimately to remove Mr Trimble as Ulster Unionist leader, although Mr Donaldson insisted the motion was about policy not personality. With about 70 of the 110-member executive present, Mr Trimble won the vote by a margin of more than three to one, according to sources.
While Mr Trimble carried the day, both his supporters and internal opponents agreed that unionists were growing increasingly disillusioned with what they feel is a British government refusal to accept that the IRA has breached its ceasefire and that action must be taken against Sinn Féin.
Issues such as Colombia, Castlereagh and allegations of IRA involvement in some of the recent street disturbances are causing great unionist anger, both pro and anti-agreement unionists said on Saturday. The majority of unionists did not accept however that now was the time to adopt the "nuclear option" of pulling out of the Northern executive.
Mr Donaldson is now considering whether to call a meeting of the party's ruling 900-member Ulster Unionist Council to force the issue further. Equally Mr Trimble is considering whether he should try to maintain the tactical advantage over party sceptics by calling a council meeting himself.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, after their bilateral meeting at the British-Irish Council summit in Jersey on Friday, are fully conscious of the difficulties. Their senior civil servants will today confer on when to hold emergency talks aimed at defusing the crisis which threatens the political process. The two leaders agreed to host the talks at Mr Trimble's prompting in Jersey.
Mr Trimble is intent on maintaining pressure on Sinn Féin and the two governments.
Asked on the BBC yesterday was there a possibility he might again resign, Mr Trimble said: "Clearly if it is necessary I am quite happy to do it but if I do it, it will be in order to make further progress in order to ensure that the agreement is fulfilled and fully implemented. I will not be acting to destroy that agreement because I know it represents the best hope for the people of Northern Ireland," he added.
Mr Ahern said it was time for all paramilitaries to end violence and allow politics have primacy. "It is a good time for both Tony Blair and myself and the pro-agreement parties to get together and try to see what we can do to de-escalate the tensions that are there," he told Sky television yesterday.
Praising Mr Trimble's leadership, Mr Ahern added: "It's easy enough to sit in the wings and to say the Good Friday agreement hasn't delivered everything, but I have never yet heard any of his critics come up with one viable alternative."
The Northern Secretary, Dr John Reid, said the governments were arranging special talks because there was "a lack of confidence that the journey away from violence towards exclusively peaceful means is continuing. That is why we have taken urgent action."
