Arms body reports no progress

The issue of IRA weapons threatens the peace process

The head of the body responsible for the decommissioning of arms in Northern Ireland has said there is no progress to report.

General John de Chastelain said he was anxious to explore with the IRA its proposals for putting arms beyond use and what role the decommissioning body will have in that process.

This latest report from the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, released on Friday, repeats what was said in October - that there has been no progress on actual decommissioning.

But the commission said that sufficient time still exists to achieve the complete decommissioning of paramilitary arms by June of next year - the target date for the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

General de Chastelain heads the arms decommissioning body

If the target of June is to be achieved, the commission believes a substantive engagement with the IRA's representative must happen as soon as possible followed by early movement on actual decommissioning.

The IRA has not spoken to the General since June and the deadlock over policing, demilitarisation and paramilitary arms was not broken in the latest talks between republicans and the government.

The report said the commission had met representatives of the loyalist paramilitary groups, the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Ulster Freedom Fighters

It stated: "The UVF representatives have met with us and confirmed the commitment to decommissioning they previously gave us.

"They have warned that in their opinion, dissident activity has made decommissioning harder to achieve, but they stand by their agreement on decommissioning methods and supporting issues.

"Recent meetings of the UFF representatives have confirmed to us their previously-given commitments on decommissioning."

The report also outlined that agreement in principle on disarmament schemes has already been reached with loyalist paramilitary groups, the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Ulster Freedom Fighters.

It also welcomed the recent end to the loyalist feud which claimed seven lives as a positive step towards decommissioning.

Mixed reaction

Ulster Unionist security spokesman Ken Maginnis said he welcomed the report's acknowledgement that engagement with the IRA representative was now crucial.

Ken Maginnis: "IRA must respond to de Chastelain report"

"Sinn Fein/IRA has squirmed its way through the past seven months seeking to avoid any judgment being made in relation to its own statement on May 6th," the party's security spokesman said.

"I would now call upon the IRA to respond to this statement by re-engaging with the commission in a way that will see its weapons being put completely and verifiably beyond use.

"Furthermore, both governments must indicate that they are determined that no further capitulation to unilateral demands can be countenanced."

Democratic Unionist assembly member Gregory Campbell, said the general's report did not differ from previous reports of no progress.

"That should bring everybody to the conclusion that some of us have been pointing out for the last three years, that the IRA have no intention of voluntarily decommissioning," he said.

'Disappointment'

Alliance Party leader Sean Neeson expressed disappointment with the lack of progress and said the people of Northern Ireland deserved better news at Christmas.

"Although further progress on arms has become associated with the wider debates on policing and normalisation, it should have been possible for the IRA to renew discussions with the Commission," he said.

Gerry Adams: "British government needs to keep commitments"

But Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said the work of the commission should not be allowed to "obscure or distract attention from what is the real question".

He said Prime Minister Tony Blair and Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson should use the Christmas period to reflect on their management of the peace process.

Mr Adams said he hoped they would conclude that politicians need to drive the process and "keep commitments".

Recent talks between republicans and the government had "gone nowhere," he said and said he hoped those for whom change was difficult would go into the New Year with a changed mindset.

The IRA has permitted two separate inspections of weapons dumps by international arms inspectors Cyril Ramaphosa and Martti Ahtisaari.

Peter Mandelson: "Appeal to politicians to make further efforts"

This was recognised by Mr Mandelson who said the checks added to the "new hope for peace" in 2001.

In his Christmas message Mr Mandelson added: "There are challenges ahead, but as President Clinton said during his recent visit to Belfast, we should remember the enemies of peace don't need our approval - all they need is our apathy.

"But I truly believe we can get there as long as the courage of our politicians holds and the paramilitaries turn away from violence to give politics a chance."

Mr Mandelson said each side had enormous power to move the process forward or to bring it to a halt.

He added that there was now a choice to either remain entrenched in the past or reach out and look to a future of permanent peace.