Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of David Trimble's address to the annual Ulster Unionist conference at the weekend was his direct and straightforward endorsement of the Good Friday Agreement.
After a lengthy period when Mr Trimble gave the impression that he was no more than
luke-warm about the document he jointly signed in 1998, at last we had a firm statement of his position.
According to the Ulster Unionist leader, the agreement provides everything necessary for what he described as the 'full and final closure of the conflict'.
He also spelt out that he was seeking full decommissioning, an end to all forms of violence and the winding up of all paramilitary groups.
These are aims which are not only shared by the vast majority of ordinary nationalists and unionists but are also achievable in the reasonably short term.
After almost a full year of pessimism, the restoration of devolved government at Stormont is now tantalisingly close.
If republicans live up to their responsibilities, and Mr Trimble provides firm guarantees that further suspensions of the power-sharing administration will be avoided, then a deal is capable of being swiftly finalised.
There are always difficulties in the background in Northern Ireland politics, and an entirely unnecessary complication has been added by the exclusion of the SDLP from the present talks involving the British government, the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Féin.
The latter two parties have crucial contributions to make, but the SDLP is also a key player and should never have been so shabbily treated.
A strong case can also be made for the representation of the smaller pro-agreement parties, including Alliance, the Women's Coalition and the Progressive Unionists at the talks table.
Tony Blair's decision to cancel the Northern Ireland Assembly elections last May, and his failure to invite all the groups which created the Good Friday Agreement to crucial negotiations on its future, have raised serious doubts about his judgment.
However, regardless of whether a consensus is reached on the way ahead, Mr Blair can start to redeem himself by insisting that the poll finally goes ahead in November.
It would be better if the electorate can offer their verdict on a firm set of cross-party proposals, but the priority must be to ensure that democracy is not postponed for a single day longer than is absolutely necessary.
