PRESIDENT Clinton once likened the opposing factions in Northern Ireland politics as bar-room drunks. Every time one of them walks away from a dispute and reaches the swing doors, they turn right around and go back in for more.

You would be hard-pressed to find a more sober man than David Trimble. But in a bout of inebriation yesterday, he threw away a golden opportunity to secure lasting peace for his homeland and returned the peace process to the brink of collapse.

One can understand Mr Trimble's and the Unionists' obsession with decommissioning. For far too long the spectre of the terrorist's gun has cast a black cloud over attempts to restore Northern Ireland society to some semblance of normality.

Without the assurance that the IRA is disarmed, the Unionist community will never be completely at ease.

But somewhere along the line the Unionists have to make the leap of faith.

The IRA's latest statement on disarmament was verifiable, in that General John de Chastelain, the head of Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, will ensure the IRA lived up to its promises.

By rejecting this initiative, the Unionists are rejecting the integrity of General de Chastelain, and undermining the framework on which the Good Friday Agreement was built.

No one expects the political parties in Northern Ireland to place complete trust in opponents they have despised for so long. But we should expect them to place their trust in a genuinely independent third party like General de Chastelain.

The recent history of Northern Ireland has been dominated by acts of brinkmanship and gesture politics. We sincerely hope that Mr Trimble's rejection of the Anglo-Irish proposals is yet another example of gesture politics, and that he will soon see the error of his ways.

In taking this peace process this far, Mr Trimble has already demonstrated a great deal of courage and conviction. He needs to summon yet more courage to accept these proposals and place his faith in General de Chastelain to see them through.

If these proposals are allowed to wither away in a renewed period of deadlock, it is difficult to see any other alternative than the abandonment of the peace process and the dreadful consequences this will entail.