Arms progress disappoints UUP

IRA guns are standing in the way of progress, UUP feels

Ulster Unionists have expressed disappointment that more progress has not been made on the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons.

The comments came after party leader David Trimble led a delegation on Monday morning to meet the head of the body overseeing the disarmament process.

They were expected to discuss sections of the latest report, by the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, which deals with IRA arms.

Afterwards, Strangford representative David McNarry said discussions between the commission and the IRA had been about "procedure rather than methodology".

He also challenged Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams to do more.

However, Sinn Fein vice-president Pat Doherty said it was not just up to republicans to solve the arms problem.

"We have actually said to David Trimble that if he used his influence in terms of making politics work that all of that feeds into resolving the issue of arms."

Last week, head of the commission General John de Chastelain reported that no paramilitary guns had yet been destroyed.

However, the general said he believed further progress could be made and that further talks with the IRA were soon to be held.

He also said he welcomed renewed face-to-face contact on 14 March with the IRA as a sign of "good faith".

John Reid: "Decommissioning target date is still June"

The arms commission is working towards a target date of June for the complete destruction of all paramilitary weapons under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

On Sunday, Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid confirmed that the British Government still expected decommissioning by that date.

'Actual decommissioning'

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein education minister Martin McGuinness has challenged Mr Trimble to lift the sanctions on himself and party colleague Bairbre de Brun, because of the IRA's renewed contact with the arms body.

Sinn Fein's two ministers have been banned by Mr Trimble from attending north-south ministerial council meetings.

He has kept the sanction in place, because of the absence of decommissioning, despite a court ruling that it was unlawful.

Jeffrey Donaldson: IRA statements not backed up by actions

And Mr Trimble is facing increasing pressure from hardliners in his party to increase sanctions on Sinn Fein.

On Saturday, hardline Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson again called on his party to table an assembly motion to exclude Sinn Fein's ministers from the executive.

Speaking on the BBC's Inside Politics programme, he said: "We cannot continue indefinitely in a position where Sinn Fein/IRA are sitting in ministerial office and holding onto all their illegal weapons."

The general's report also confirmed more meetings with loyalist paramilitary groups, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) had taken place.

To date, only a handful of weapons have been handed over for destruction and these were from the paramilitary splinter group, the Loyalist Volunteer Force.