NI elections postponed

Elections to the assembly were due to take place on 29 May

The Northern Ireland Assembly elections are postponed until the autumn over a lack of clarity about the IRA's future intentions, the NI secretary has said.

The move was announced in the Commons by Paul Murphy on Thursday after weeks of talks to try to break the impasse in the political process.

It came against a background of intense discussions by the British and Irish Governments over the latest Sinn Fein assurances on the IRA's future intentions.

The governments discussed their options overnight after deciding that Gerry Adams' latest assurance that the IRA would not engage in activities that would undermine the peace process did not go far enough.

Speaking in Downing Street following Mr Murphy's statement, Tony Blair said people would now be able to see the details of the joint declaration.

Mr Blair said there was a point-blank refusal by the republican movement to expressly rule out all paramilitary activities set out in the joint declaration.

"Will those activities continue to be authorised or not by the IRA - yes or no? It is not a terribly complicated situation. But it is one that requires a very clear answer."

Paul Murphy: Announced election delay in Commons

In the Commons Mr Murphy said: "We have also received a statement from the IRA about acts of completion."

But he said there were key points which needed to be clarified.

These were "the crucial issue of whether the IRA is prepared for a full, immediate and permanent cessation of all paramilitary activity, including military attacks, training, targeting, intelligence-gathering, acquisition or development of arms or weapons, other preparations for terrorist campaigns, punishment beatings and attacks and involvement in riots."

Mr Murphy said the government would now publish its Joint Declaration and called on the IRA to make public its statement.

In Dublin, Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said he did not agree with the postponement.

He said he believed postponement "created more problems than it solves".

Gerry Adams: Rejected suggestions that the republican position was unclear

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

Last month, the British and Irish Governments said they were postponing publication of their declaration to fully implement the Good Friday Agreement and restore the institutions until the IRA had answered questions about a statement it submitted on 13 April.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble said he agreed with the postponement.

"The underlying problem that caused the suspension has to be resolved.

"It has not been possible to do so and of course, to proceed to elect to a body that has no prospect of meeting is illogical."

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Adams accused the government of using the issue of clarity as "a smoke screen for exercising a unionist veto".

He angrily rejected suggestions that the republican position was unclear, challenging the government to answer the question: "What part of no activity don't you understand?"

Tony Blair said a statement from Mr Adams at the weekend that "there should be no activities inconsistent" with the Good Friday Agreement did not go far enough.

The prime minister wanted the word "should" changed to "will" - the word the Sinn Fein leader used in Wednesday's news conference in Belfast.