Northern Ireland Office insists on actual decommissioning
Monday, 1 March 1999 18:55
The Northern Ireland Office has insisted that there must be actual decommissioning of paramilitary weapons in the two year time-frame set out in the Belfast agreement.
In a statement issued last night the NIO insisted that there was a clear obligation under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement that decommissioning must be completed within two years.
It came after comments from Sinn Féin's mid Ulster MP, Martin McGuinness, who said that there was not the remotest possibility of the IRA surrendering any of its weapons before the establishment of the executive in the North's new Assembly.
Ulster Unionists are refusing to share power with Sinn Féin until the IRA starts handing over arms. However, Mr. McGuinness said that he did not believe the IRA would respond to Ulster Unionist demands because such a move would represent a surrender.
He said that under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement the responsibility to bring about decommissioning did not rest with Sinn Féin alone. Speaking on Morning Ireland, Mr. McGuinness said that he would try to deliver decommissioning within the two years time-frame of the Agreement.
Last night, the Northern Ireland Office said that both the British and Irish governments were determined to hold the parties and paramilitary organisations to the their obligations. The executive is due to be put in place in ten days time.
- Morning Ireland: Decommissioning continues to cause problems for formation of executive
- 6.01 News: Mallon calls for an end to brinkmanship on decommissioning
- 6.01 News: Mark Little, Washington Correspondent, reports on the speculation that President Clinton will once again play a role in the Peace Process.
- 1.00 News: North Assembly fails to make breakthrough as devolution deadline looms
- 1.00 News: David Davin-Power, Northern Editor, reports live.
