The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, has called on the British government to publish the precise details of last October's aborted Hillsborough deal ahead of a new round of intensive political process negotiations chaired by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair.
There was a guarded welcome of the DUP's proposals on Thursday, indicating that the party broadly would accept the North-South dimension of the Good Friday agreement, which is six calendar years in existence today.
But Dr Paisley now wants publication of the full details of October's collapsed deal. The sequenced deal was shelved after the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, withdrew from the agreement because he contended there was not sufficient transparency about a third act of IRA decommissioning verified but not publicly inventoried - at the IRA's insistence - by Gen John de Chastelain's decommissioning body.
The Irish and British governments are becoming increasingly convinced that the DUP's proposals on devolution for Northern Ireland and for North-South and East-West relations demonstrate that they are willing to share power with nationalists including Sinn Féin if the IRA ends activity and credibly decommissions.
Dr Paisley, however, by his statement yesterday indicated that he wants clarity on the non-disclosed elements of the October deal which covered areas such as the controversial effective amnesty for fugitive IRA and other paramilitary members. His comments raise questions as to whether the DUP would fully participate in the proximity talks in London later this month if he does not receive that detail.
"It is clear that this present round of negotiations is being hampered by the debris from the Trimble years," said Dr Paisley, who described his party's proposals as "a serious contribution to the present political debate".
"If we are going to move forward in these negotiations, we must be made aware of the precise nature of the agreement Mr Trimble 'put on hold' and whether any elements of it are binding in present circumstances. During his time as a unionist negotiator, Mr Trimble has consistently aided the advancement of the republican agenda," he added.
"The reality is that in the words of the Secretary of State [Paul Murphy], the joint declaration represented a 'shared understanding between the (pro-agreement) parties'. It is time to know the details of Trimble's secret deals. People are now entitled to ask what are the precise circumstances in which the agreements reached by Mr Trimble and others are to be implemented," insisted Dr Paisley.
Mr Ahern and Mr Blair plan to chair the talks, possibly in Lancaster House in London, sometime this month after the Independent Monitoring Commission's report on paramilitary activity is published in less than a fortnight's time. They will be conscious that this demand from Dr Paisley could jeopardise the possibility of those negotiations making substantial progress.
The Sinn Féin MLA, Ms Bairbre de Brún, said of the London talks that it was very clear the two governments need to take "urgent action if the peace process is to be put back on track and the political institutions re-established".
"Sinn Féin will approach any attempt to resolve this crisis in a positive fashion. Clearly, the most effective way of resolving difficulties is through a process of dialogue based upon equality and respect for political mandates," she added.
Senior SDLP negotiator, Dr Seán Farren MLA, said he hoped the talks signalled a new determination on the part of the governments to see the process successfully completed.
"I hope these talks can move the whole thing forward. I also hope that all the parties will co-operate in this initiative so that all the promise of the Good Friday agreement can be delivered as the electorate demands.
