Sinn Féin the immovable object over decommissioning
Despite the momentum of the visit of US President George Bush earlier this week, the whole process was derailed yesterday morning after Sinn Féin refused to budge.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair were due to announce a formula for restoring the powersharing executive in Belfast. They also hoped to bring about an IRA declaration of an end to its campaign of paramilitarism.
The Hillsborough summit was put on hold, however, after British officials failed to secure a last-minute agreement with Sinn Féin on a number of key issues including demands for a more visible act of IRA disarmament.
The head of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, General John de Chastelain was in Belfast on standby for any deal.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said there were still a number of problems to be sorted out including a time frame for the transfer of power on policing and justice, the issue of sanctions against Sinn Féin to exclude them from the assembly and the absence of commitment from unionists to work the institutions.
The delay is a big setback for London and Dublin particularly in the aftermath of President George W Bush's visit to Hillsborough earlier this week where he urged all sides to accept the Anglo-Irish package as their own.
Michael McGimpsey, of the Ulster Unionist Party, accused republicans of letting everybody down.
"We are looking at a declaration that was to come today and hasn't happened and that was the joint declaration from the two governments.
"The reason why it hasn't happened is the same reason why our inclusive powersharing devolved government failed in Northern Ireland six months ago. And that is because republicans have let us all down.
"Republicans were supposed to take part by demonstrating an end to paramilitary activity ... they haven't been able to do that. They won't do that or can't do that and as a result we don't have the declaration," he said.
