IMC will 'judge IRA's commitment'

The DUP and Sinn Fein held separate talks with PM

Two forthcoming Independent Monitoring Commission reports will determine the evidence of IRA commitments to peace, the NI secretary has said.

Peter Hain was speaking after he and PM Tony Blair held "very productive" separate talks with Sinn Fein and the DUP.

Mr Hain said the government would "study carefully" the dossier presented by the DUP.

Mr Adams said his party had held "a good and a positive meeting".

On the DUP dossier for confidence building measures, Mr Hain said: "Some of these measures have already been implemented and others will be implemented over the coming weeks."

After the talks with Sinn Fein, he said the government wished to see the political process taken forward.

We're looking for the unionist community to be treated in exactly the same way as the republicans Ian Paisley DUP leader

However, the two IMC reports would make a judgement on whether the IRA had kept the commitment to peaceful means made at the end of July, said Mr Hain.

Mr Adams said: "The main focus was about the speedy re-establishment of the political institutions."

He said he was "quite dismissive of IMC reports" into paramilitary activity and insisted his party had a mandate to represent those people who voted for Sinn Fein.

"Let's see what the IMC report says - but until then, let's focus on the main issues."

Earlier, after meeting the prime minister, DUP leader Ian Paisley said he wanted "equality" for unionists.

"We're looking for the unionist community to be treated in exactly the same way as the republicans," he said.

The meetings followed last week's statement from the independent arms body which said all IRA weapons had now been decommissioned.

Forthcoming legislation

Meanwhile, the SDLP has held talks with Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern in Dublin.

Party leader Mark Durkan said the meeting focussed on the need for both governments to persuade the DUP to enter into power-sharing government.

"The IRA failure to decommission gave unionists a veto over re-establishment of the Good Friday institutions," he said.

"The IRA has decommissioned, and that unionist veto must now be gone."

The witnesses held talks with the DUP

BBC Northern Ireland political editor Mark Devenport said: "The government believes General de Chastelain's declaration that the IRA has completed disarmament has created an historic opportunity for progress.

"Despite that, no-one is expecting rapid movement before January, when the Independent Monitoring Commission will submit the second of two reports on IRA activity."

Last week, the DUP held talks with the two churchmen who witnessed the IRA's final act of decommissioning.

The party requested the meeting after questioning the independence of former Methodist President the Reverend Harold Good and Catholic priest Father Alec Reid.