Northern Ireland's future unclear as deadline moves closer

Northern Ireland was on tenterhooks following news that the IRA have proposed a method of putting arms completely and verifiably beyond use, hours before the deadline for parties to accept or reject the Anglo-Irish package kicked in.

Decommissioning head General John de Chastelein released a statement on Monday afternoon saying that members of the commission have met with the IRA and the IRA have suggested a method for putting arms completely and verifiably beyond use.

The general’s latest report came as London and Dublin waited for the pro-Agreement parties to respond to their package of proposals aimed at ending the deadlock threatening the future of the peace process.

Monday 6 August was supposed to represent the deadline for parties to accept or reject the Anglo-Irish package. But sources indicate that the Governments are not going to be heavy handed with the parties if they haven’t reached a decision by Monday night. Ultimately the parties have until August 12 to find a resolution or the British Government will have to either suspend the assembly or call a fresh election in the autumn.

The arrival of this news will undoubtedly heighten the pressure on David Trimble and the Ulster Unionist Party who are to meet on Monday night to discuss the package of proposals. Mr Trimble threw the assembly into crisis when he resigned his position as First Minister on July 1 because the IRA had failed to disarm.

Ulster Unionist MP for Lagan Valley Mr Donaldson said the statement was not enough to “break the log-jam” on its own and warned that time was running short for addressing the “many outstanding issues.”

He said: “What will satisfy me is actual decommissioning - I think that’s pretty clear.”

Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid said he believed the statement from the commission had the potential to resolve the issue of decommissioning. In a reference to the political parties Dr Reid added that it would be up to others to make their judgment on the significance of today’s statement.

The Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said the commission’s statement marked a “hugely historical breakthrough.” He added: “They should now move speedily towards the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern speaking on RTE Radio shortly after the announcement, Mr Ahern said it was “clearly” enough to move the stalled peace process forward: “Hopefully over the next number of days perhaps the outstanding issue of the commencement of that [disarmament] process hopefully will also move on.” He added tonight’s meeting of Ulster Unionist Party officers should “reflect very carefully” on the statement: “I think they should see the enormous move of this statement and the significance of it. People should see the historic significance rather than trying to see difficulties in it.” (AMcE)