09/08/2001

IRA statement offers lifeline for failing process

The IRA have dramatically revived hopes of a last minute breakthrough in the peace process by agreeing a method with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) that will see its weapons put arms completely and verifiably beyond use.

A statement released to Republican newspaper An Phoblacht on Wednesday August 8 by the leadership of Óglaigh Na hÉireann (IRA) states: “On 8 March 2001 the IRA leadership re-established contact with the IICD.

“Since then the IRA representative has met with the IICD eight times. As a result of these discussions we can confirm that the IRA leadership has agreed a scheme with the IICD, which will put IRA arms completely and verifiably beyond use.

“We note the ongoing attempts in some quarters to prevent progress. They should not be permitted to succeed. Our representative will continue to meet with the IICD. The IRA leadership will continue to monitor political developments. Signed by P O’Neill, Irish Republican Publicity Bureau, Dublin.”

This statement reaffirms the content of the IICD announcement on Monday August 6, which indicated that the decommissioning body had met with an IRA representative who proposed a “method for putting IRA arms completely and verifiably beyond use”.

However, both Monday’s IICD and Thursday’s IRA statements taken together still appear to have failed to provide a solution to the political impasse.

The Ulster Unionist Party while conceding that the IRA statement represents a “significant step” they still want to see tangible proof of “actual decommissioning.”

Anti-Agreement MP for Laganvalley Jeffrey Donaldson also insists on evidence of decommissioning: “Unless we get actual decommissioning of IRA weapons then we cannot continue in the power sharing executive with Sinn Féin”. (AMcE)

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