IRA statement 'unparalleled'

IRA statement 'unparalleled'

Gerry Adams met separately with governments and IRA

The recent IRA statement on the peace process contains highly significant and positive elements which are unparalleled in republican history, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has said.

The two governments postponed the publication of their blueprint to fully implement the Good Friday Agreement and restore devolution until they received clarification of an IRA statement on its future intentions.

Earlier on Thursday, the IRA said it was not yet in a position to make a definitive comment on the continuing negotiations between republicans and the British and Irish Governments.

In its Easter statement, the organisation said it was monitoring political developments very closely.

The latest statement from the IRA called on republicans to remain patient and said it stood ready to publish the position it passed to the governments last weekend.

That statement covered the status of its ceasefire, its future intentions and its attitude to putting more arms beyond use.

Mr Blair and Mr Ahern had planned to unveil proposals last week

The organisation said the onus remained on the governments and the political parties to fulfil their obligations and commitments.

The IRA clarified a number of the questions raised by the governments over its statement on Monday night, however, there is no indication that the blueprint will be published in the near future.

Officials from both governments are continuing to hold discussions and contact is ongoing with the Northern Ireland political parties.

Northern Ireland's power-sharing administration was suspended on 14 October 2002 amid allegations of IRA intelligence gathering at the heart of the Stormont government.

Addressing a meeting of his party in Newry on Thursday evening, Mr Adams said the statement was "clear and unambiguous".

"Does anyone really expect rejectionist unionism, which dismisses republican words as meaningless, that they will now provide the dictionary for the IRA," he said.

On Wednesday, the Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, appealed to the pro-Agreement parties for more time to find a breakthrough in the political deadlock.

'Plan B'

Mr Ahern discussed the situation with British Prime Minister Tony Blair on the fringes of an EU summit in Athens and later in a phone conversation on Wednesday.

Mr Ahern acknowledged that the search for a resolution had been "painfully slow".

However, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble dismissed the IRA's statement on its future intent, saying it had fallen a long way short of what was required.

Mr Trimble said he was disappointed and believed the plan that was being developed last week by the British and Irish Governments will not now happen.

He said the governments needed to come up with some ideas for "a Plan B" about how to proceed and that some serious thinking was required.

David Trimble says the IRA statement falls a long way short

The UUP leader said his own party had a number of ideas but he was not ready to make them public.

Sinn Fein has repeated its call for the two governments to publish their framework document aimed at restoring devolution.

It is believed the three questions put to the IRA on Monday concern whether its campaign will be brought to a complete and final closure, whether it will cease all its activities and whether it will put all its arms beyond use.

Mr Blair and Mr Ahern must now decide whether enough progress has been made to allow them to publish their proposals aimed at restoring devolution.

The British and Irish Governments felt the IRA had not made its intentions clear enough regarding the decommissioning of its weapons, and its long-term commitment to peace.

The two prime ministers had planned to unveil their proposals in Northern Ireland last Thursday, but the visit was postponed at the last minute.

It is understood Downing Street was unhappy with the wording of an earlier draft response from the IRA.