US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been in telephone contact with Northern Ireland politicians ahead of Tuesday's Assembly vote on the devolution of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont.
She spent 15 minutes talking with Ulster Unionist leader Reg Empey looking for an update on his party's position.
The UUP have said that as things stand at the moment, they will oppose the transfer of justice powers.
The party's executive will meet tomorrow night to make a final decision on how they will vote.
It is reported that Mrs Clinton also spent 15 minutes talking to the deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
Northern Secretary Shaun Woodward, who was in the US last week, said the conversations showed the very serious level of concern across all the parties in the US about the peace process.
