This is an abbreviated list of events of significance in the lead-up to all-party negotiations:

The talks are also to consider a referendum asking whether people want an end to violence and the start of all-party negotiations.

He said he would tell them that "there has to be a prompt agreement on beginning serious, all-party negotiations to reach a political settlement."

Those, in turn, could be followed by so-called "all-party negotiations," in which all sides, including Sinn Fein, sit down to talk about peace.

Preparatory talks were to lead to all-party negotiations beginning by the end of February 1996.

Thursday 21 March 1996: Elections to determine who would take part in all-party negotiations were announced.

And he has said that he is wary of a disarmament commission that might be mandated to force disarmament before overall settlement is reached at an all-party negotiations.

The government for its part insisted on all-party negotiations to draw up the constitution, with elections to follow.

Sinn Féin blamed the failure of the ceasefire on the UK government's refusal to begin all-party negotiations until the IRA decommissioned its weapons.

The British announcement today that bilateral talks on disarmament would be held was a step toward all-party negotiations, Mr. Adams said.