The Ulster Unionist executive has overwhelmingly rejected a proposal for unionist ministers to withdraw from the Stormont executive by 1 July if Sinn Fein is not excluded.

Instead, the executive has backed a plan by party leader David Trimble not to set a deadline and to meet again shortly.

The motion was put before the executive by hardline MP Jeffrey Donaldson.

He and party colleague David Burnside wanted 1 July set as the date for the republican party's ejection.

I'm not going to gamble with the future of Northern Ireland, I'm not going to gamble with the future of the people of Northern Ireland

David Trimble

Mr Donaldson had said he believed the deadline was reasonable.

A key meeting took place at the Ulster Unionist's east Belfast headquarters on Saturday.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Trimble said he was not prepared to resign from the administration and leave the political process in disarray.

"I'm not going to gamble with the future of Northern Ireland, I'm not going to gamble with the future of the people of Northern Ireland," he said.

The first minister said unless Tony Blair made it clear the law would be upheld and his promises redeemed he was "gambling with the future here"

"He is gambling with the political process and we might all be the losers."

Blind eye

Mr Donaldson said the meeting arrived at a consensus that there was a crisis of confidence within unionism.

"I am absolutely clear that the time for talking about the IRA and their failure to commit to peace is over and it is now time for action to deal with the republican movement's inconsistencies and the duplicitous approach to this process," he said.

"I for one am not prepared to be complicit in a process which turns a blind eye to IRA violence."

David Burnside wanted Sinn Fein excluded

The deadline call followed a security assessment that senior IRA leaders were aware that members of the organisation were using Colombia as a testing ground for new weapons.

Mr Trimble said it was "no surprise", while Mr Donaldson said Sinn Fein was not fit to serve in the Northern Ireland Executive.

He urged UK Prime Minister Tony Blair to take action to prevent a "catastrophic loss of confidence" in the peace process.

"He has got to create confidence in the community in Northern Ireland that the law will be observed and will be enforced, and when republicans are found to be behaving in a way that is contrary to their undertakings, that he will act.

"There is no doubt that there are people in the republican movement who have been guilty of breaches of the ceasefire," said Mr Trimble.

The British and Irish Governments have now agreed to hold crisis talks over the peace process.