NI devolution deal falters at final hurdle

DUP leader Ian Paisley has confirmed that his party will not be signing up to the British and Irish Government’s latest proposals on restoring devolution in Northern Ireland.

After meeting decommissioning body chief General John De Chastelain in Belfast, the North Antrim MP said his party was adamant about photographic evidence on IRA weapons.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Paisley said: "It is quite clear that the IRA are not going to decommission. Nothing on decommissioning was agreed with them.

"Not only photographs, but nothing was discussed or settled about the independent witnesses, inventory and all the things that we were interested in.

"The situation is this: that the IRA are dead set on keeping their arms and going on with IRA/Sinn Fein's twofold policy of democracy and terrorism.”

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said the IRA was not prepared to be “humiliated” by Dr Paisley’s demands.

He said: “I recognise that some unionists do have genuine concerns about verification of arms being put beyond use, but Ian Paisley has to recognise also that the IRA will not submit to a process of humiliation,” the West Belfast MP said. “I do not expect Ian Paisley, or the DUP or the unionist paramilitaries to submit to such a process of humiliation.

“In my view the two governments know the significance of what is available from republicans. This is not a time for them to pander to unrealisable DUP demands.”

Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern were in Belfast today to publish the proposals handed over to both the DUP and Sinn Fein.

Mr Blair said that the progress achieved in the talks had been remarkable but were not yet "complete".

(MB)