BELFAST Britain and Ireland will unveil a long-awaited blueprint for trying to rescue Northern Ireland peace process, battered by political feuding and an upsurge in sectarian violence,Reuters reported.

Politicians from the British province's Protestant majority and Roman Catholic minority are deadlocked over the issues of guerrilla disarmament, the future shape of policing and Britain's military presence.

The new peace package is being presented on a "take-it-or-leave-it" basis and British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern have urged both sides to consider it carefully and avoid knee-jerk reactions.

There was no sign of optimism about a breakthrough in remarks by leading Protestant and Catholic politicians on Tuesday. A wave of sectarian rioting and a Protestant militia's drive-by killing of an 18-year-old this week added to the gloomy backdrop.

David Trimble, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, the main Protestant political group, stuck to his line that the Irish Republican Army must start disarming before he is prepared to go back into a home-rule, power-sharing government with Catholics. He resigned as first minister a month ago over the issue.

"If they don't do that, then neither I nor any other Ulster Unionist will offer himself for re-election as a first minister and the present difficulties will get worse," Trimble said.

Martin McGuinness, a senior member of the IRA's political ally Sinn Fein, accused Trimble of adopting a "reckless" stance. Sinn Fein insists there must be progress on reforms to the Protestant-dominated police force and cuts in British troop levels.

British and Irish ministers plan to hold a news conference at 11 a.m. (1000 GMT) to unveil the blueprint.

---- Plea for Trust ----

Blair and Ahern are urging the feuding Protestant and Catholic politicians to renew the mutual trust that led to the signing of the landmark 1998 Good Friday agreement.

That pact has staggered from crisis to crisis for three years and the two prime ministers produced the new peace package after failing to broker a deal in talks with the parties.

Protestant politicians have been infuriated by reports that the blueprint might propose an amnesty for some "on-the-run" guerrillas, give enhanced powers for the watchdog police Ombudsman and allow ex-guerrillas a role in community committees that will liase with the police.

Hard-line Protestant politician Jeffrey Donaldson has said he fears it will be "an IRA wish list".

All sides will be on alert for reaction from the Irish Republican Army, which like other mainstream guerrilla groups is observing a cease-fire.

The IRA has opened some of its arms bunkers to outside observers to prove that its weapons have not been used but has gone no further on disarmament.

Britain and Ireland are desperate to ensure the survival of the power-sharing government because it embodies a new way of living together for Northern Ireland Protestant and Catholic communities after 30 years of conflict that cost 3,600 lives.

The basic fault line in politics in the British province is that protestants want to maintain links with Britain while Catholics favor integration with Ireland.