Sinn Féin has raised doubts tonight that the party's special Ard Fheis on policing will go ahead because of what it says is the lack of a positive response from the DUP.
It said the planned Ard Fheis at the end of January was dependent on a positive response from the two governments, and other parties, including the DUP.
It claimed that so far this has not been forthcoming from the DUP.
According to a Sinn Féin source, because of the seriousness of the situation, the party president Gerry Adams has been in contact with the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, several times in recent days.
Mr Blair is currently on holidays with his family in Miami.
In his New Year message, released yesterday, the DUP leader, Ian Paisley, had said the DUP would judge Sinn Féin by actions, not words.
