IRA arms move 'at risk'

IRA issued a statement to put "its weapons beyond use'

Sinn Fein has said the IRA initiative to "put its weapons beyond use" is now at risk following what the party views as concessions to Ulster Unionists.

A Sinn Fein spokesman said republicans were extremely concerned that unionist acceptance of the current package put forward by the governments to return Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive would be conditional.

On Saturday, the Ulster Unionist Party's ruling council will be voting on whether to return to a power-sharing government.

However, the party leader, David Trimble, has been seeking from the British government an indication that the name of Northern Ireland's police force, the Royal Ulster Constabularly, will be retained.

The name change is part of 175 proposals contained in the Patten report on the future of policing.

Unionists also want assurances the Union Flag will continue to fly from public buildings.

But on Monday, Sinn Fein said that there was no question of a Sinn Fein minister agreeing to the flying of the flag on any public building under the control of his or her department.

The briefing by Sinn Fein is an indication that the numbers of republicans opposed to the deal in the first place may be growing.

Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley has claimed the IRA were keeping their weapons for future use in a campaign to bring about a united Ireland.

At a news conference on Monday, Mr Paisley claimed David Trimble was being frogmarched by the IRA along the road to Irish unity.

He said: "When the IRA have got all their concessions, then they will turn back to their weapons."

He said they would do this to obtain a "final concession" - a united Ireland.

Mr Trimble now has less than a week to convince the 860-member Ulster Unionist Council, before their meeting on Saturday, that the IRA offer to put its arms beyond use is genuine.

On Monday night, Mr Trimble addressed constituency associations in Antrim as he stepped up his efforts to persuade his party to re-enter government with Sinn Fein.

Responding to Sinn Fein suggestions that the IRA's weapons offer may be withdrawn, because of concessions on the RUC and flags issues, Mr Trimble said that was a matter for republicans.

David Trimble: Seeking a return to power-sharing executive

Speaking earlier on Monday at a news conference at his party headquarters in Belfast, he said that if his party voted against accepting the package of proposals to restart devolution, it would allow the IRA "off the hook".

"Saying No to this will only serve to consign unionism to the political wilderness and who knows for how many years," he said.

Party divided over issue

Mr Trimble also issued a warning to unionists who favoured the continuation of rule from Westminster rather than sharing power with Sinn Fein.

"It will be direct rule with a heavy green (nationalist) tinge to it, with Dublin taking an even bigger say in our affairs, with unionists left with no say at all."

If the party refuses to accept his position of putting the offer from republicans to the test by going back into a government including Sinn Fein, his leadership could be in doubt.

The issue has deeply divided the Ulster Unionist Party.

Jeffrey Donaldson: Argued against having council meeting

Mr Trimble has said he believes the IRA's campaign of violence is finally over.

But his comments have come amid reports that many rank-and-file unionists are e "furious" that the deadline for decommissioning in the Good Friday Agreement 22 May has arrived with no disarmament.

Jeffrey Donaldson: Argued against having council meeting

Hardline Ulster Unionist MP, Jeffrey Donaldson, has said his party should not return to government with Sinn Fein unless they were certain the IRA was going to disarm.

Speaking to the BBC he said people could not understand why Mr Trimble forced the suspension of the assembly executive in February on the basis that no IRA arms were decommissioned, but was now recommending a return to devolution without disarmament.