Northern Ireland secretary John Reid has until Saturday night to find a compromise between Sinn Fein and David Trimble's Ulster Unionists on decommissioning, police reform and demilitarisation, or again suspend the assembly (either indefinitely or for six weeks) or call fresh elections.
If, in our view, a genuine and meaningful response is forthcoming to Monday's statement from the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning the way will then be clear for the establishment of the political Institutions envisaged in the Belfast Agreement.
Both men will remain as MPs and Mr Hume as an MEP, but news of their resignations comes at a time when all sides are attempting to strike a deal on IRA decommissioning, policing and demilitarisation by Saturday night.
Companies are competing for a slice of the £73bn decommissioning market in the UK, with the clean-up of the sprawling Sellafield site representing at least half this sum.
The nuclear decommissioning company, Sellafield Ltd in Cumbria, was responding to the skills shortage that affects most of the sector.
It appeared republicans were ready to make a significant gesture on the central issue of decommissioning.
Adams also stresses his party's record at Stormont, calling on republicans to use this vote to register their disapproval of Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble's ban on its two ministers, Martin McGuinness and Bairbre de Brun, attending cross-border meetings unless the IRA starts decommissioning.
These are organisations officially committed not only to ceasefires but to decommissioning their weapons and their military-style structures.
Useful links Full text of the peace plan Northern Ireland Office Most recent international commission on decommissioning report Parades commission Northern Ireland assembly Text of the Good Friday agreement Political parties Alliance party Democratic Unionist party Progressive Unionist party Sinn Fein Social Democratic and Labour party Ulster Democratic party Ulster Unionist party.
The fledgling political institutions were headed for collapse today at midnight because the Ulster Unionist leader, David Trimble, insisted he could not resume his post as first minister unless the IRA began decommissioning arms.
The Environment Agency (EA), which has already said it was "minded to grant the authorisation", is also considering applications from two other firms with sites in Lancashire and Cumbria, and others are expected in future to cope with the huge increase in waste generated by decommissioning the UK's older nuclear power stations over the coming years.
