PRESSURE MOUNTS ON IRA TO DELIVER ON ARMS

THE IRA has come under increasing pressure from the SDLP and Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to deliver decommissioning before the end of the month.

Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon said the holding of illegal weapons was not only contrary to the wishes of the Unionist community and the British Government, but it was against the democratic wish of the people who voted for the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Mallon also said it was time for the British and Irish Governments to take a tougher stand with the Ulster Unionist Party and Sinn Fein, but he warned against the suspension of the assembly, saying it would be a "fundamental error".

Meanwhile, the Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has given a gloomy assessment of the current phase of talks.

Speaking following talks in Downing Street earlier this week with his British counterpart, Tony Blair, Mr Ahern admitted that positions appeared to have polarised strongly since the recent Westminster and local government elections. He said: “Very difficult issues remain to be resolved. We could be facing an intolerable situation unless there is substantial progress on these issues within the next 10 days.”

Speaking before the Irish Parliament, the Dail, on Tuesday, Mr Ahern said that multi party talks “might not be a good idea” and that bi-lateral discussions were the most likely way forward. He added: “As a person in the middle, I think that if they (Sinn Féin) were to help on decommissioning, I would certainly help press the British government on demilitarisation. It would strengthen my hand massively and equally it would on policing.”

However Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid said he believed the current political problems could be resolved.

Speaking after holding talks with the province's smaller pro-Agreement political parties in Belfast, Dr Reid said he was neither "pessimistic, nor optimistic, but realistic, concentrating on making sure the Good Friday Agreement was implemented, rather than the possibility of having to suspend the political institutions." (AMcE)