Northern Ireland's First Minister says devolution could be suspended if there is no move on decommissioning by the IRA by the end of January.

But the Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble also said the people of Northern Ireland should "not be concerned by the crisis that will arise, even if it involves the temporary suspension of the institutions of the Agreement".

Mr Trimble added that the commitment of republicans to peace and stability would be questioned if arms decommissioning had not started by January.

He was speaking at the East Antrim Ulster Party annual meeting in Larne, County Antrim on Friday night.

He said: "Whilst we have made progress in the assembly, we cannot yet say that peace has been secured.

"To have that assurance we look to General de Chastelain who will make his report on or before the end of January.

"We hope that those who are in a position to enable General de Chastelain to make a positive report, take the necessary action by then.

"If they do not, questions will be asked of their commitment to peace and political stability."

Mr Trimble will face his party's ruling council on 12 February to review whether paramilitary decommissioning has begun.

The Council gave him backing to form the Assembly power-sharing executive with Sinn Fein before IRA decommissioning in December.

Resignation pledge

But he has pledged that he and his executive colleagues will resign if arms decommissioning has not started by the end of January when the head of the International Commission on decommissioning is due to give his crucial report on the matter.

But in Larne he said the public should not be concerned if the Assembly and other institutions set up under the Good Friday Agreement are brought to a halt.

He said: "In this event, the people of Northern Ireland should not be concerned by the crisis that will arise, even if it involves the temporary suspension of the institutions of the agreement.

"I am sure that any such crisis will also give us the opportunity to get the things right and on a sound footing.''

'Commitments must be fulfilled'

Meanwhile the Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon has said that "understandings" reached in the Mitchell Review must be fulfilled.

Speaking from Rome, where he met the Pope on Thursday, Mr Mallon said he believed the Assembly would successfully survive the current political difficulties.

He said: "I don't have any doubts about the understandings which were inherent in the Mitchell review.

"I don't believe that anybody who was part of that review has any doubts either, but I think we have got to make sure that we protect those institutions.

"They are a tender plant they are new and they are a pathway to lasting peace."

'Decommissioning essential'

Sinn Fein national chairman Mitchel McLaughlin said he believed arms decommissioning was an essential part of the peace process.

He has described as "unhelpful" a claim made by Tory Northern Ireland spokesman Andrew Mackay on a visit to Londonderry that the Executive will be suspended unless there is movement on arms by the end of the month.

Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster, Mr McLaughlin reiterated Sinn Fein's commitment to the pledge it made during the Mitchell Review.

He said: "Sinn Fein said that they believe that decommissioning was an essential element of the peace process.

"I think that is a very clear statement of our bonefides on this matter and we believe that we can create the conditions in which all of the guns and all of those of those who possess guns would see themselves as redundant in circumstance where politics have been made to work and I think that is our duty."