DECOMMISSIONING IS NOT IMMINENT

RUC Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan has declared that there is no sign of the IRA moving towards imminent decommissioning.

Speaking during an interview with the BBC, Sir Ronnie’s comments come at a crucial time for the arms decommissioning issue which is set to dominate the political agenda.

Sir Ronnie told BBC that decommissioning was a "political matter in the political arena" and added he had no information to “suggest at this point in time, that actual decommissioning is imminent. I would be dishonest to suggest otherwise".

In the run up to the recent general election First Minister David Trimble declared that he would resign if there had been decommissioning by the July 1 deadline.

Although the de Chastelain Commission’s inspectors have been able to inspect some of the IRA’s weapons, the failure to achieve IRA decommissioning remains a major issue for the successful continuation of the Good Friday agreement. Following a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Tuesday June 12, Mr Trimble said he was determined to follow through on the issue of decommissioning. He said:" I have made it clear to the Prime Minister my own determination that if we come to the end of this month, and we find that the Agreement with regard to decommissioning has not been implemented, then I am determined to follow through in terms of drawing a line and causing a crisis in the institutions by resigning." The UUP’s two new MP’s Lady Sylvia Hermon and David Burnside also attended the Downing Street meeting accompanied by Northern Ireland Assembly Enterprise Minister Sir Reg Empey. (SP)