John de Chastelain ,Confirmed some decommissioning had taken place
IRA announcement,Implemented the scheme agreed with the IICD
The International Decommissioning Commission has confirmed that the IRA has put some of its weapons completely beyond use. The Commission said it was satisfied that the arms in question had been dealt with in accordance with the scheme they had agreed with the IRA in August. However, it added that the process of putting all arms beyond use would not be furthered by providing further details.
The Commission, chaired by General John de Chastelain, also said that it would maintain contact with the IRA representative in pursuit of its mandate.
The crucial element of General de Chastelain's short report is his characterisation of the decommissioning event as "significant". This is taken to mean that the IRA has met a previously agreed threshold of arms destruction.
This should make it easier for David Trimble to sell the report as a genuine breakthrough to dissidents within the Ulster Unionist party.
This confirmation follows the IRA's statement earlier today in which it said it had implemented the scheme to save the peace process and to persuade others of its genuine intentions.
