IRA suspends decommissioning contact

There have been many expressions of disappointment at this evening's IRA statement that it is ending contact with the international arms decommissioning body.

In a statement to be published in tomorrow's An Phoblacht, the IRA accuses the British Government of trying to impose unacceptable and untenable ultimatums.

A spokesman for the government said the two governments remained committed to the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

He said the government hoped the current difficulties would be overcome and that there would be renewed contact between the IRA and the Decommissioning body.

The Northern Secretary Paul Murphy said the IRA statement while not surprising was regrettable and disappointing.

The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, said he regretted the decision of the IRA to disengage from the decommissioning body. He believed that was a tactical step and was not significant.

The Minister said the move was a negotiating position and a distraction from the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and, he believed, they would have to re-engage with that body.

This latest statement from the IRA comes less than two weeks after the paramilitary organisation responded to Tony Blair's call on them to disband.

A fortnight ago, they said the IRA was not a threat to the peace process and would not accept the imposition of unrealisable demands.

Now they say recent events show that the leaders of unionism have set their faces against political change at this time.

They go on to say "the British Government says that the responsibility for this present crisis and its resolution lies with us and there is an effort to impose unacceptable and untenable ultimatums on the IRA."

Their statement adds that the British Government, by its own admission, has not kept its commitments.

"The IRA therefore, has suspended contact with the IICD" (the decommissioning body headed by General John De Chasetlain).

The paramilitary organisation says the onus is on the British government to create confidence in the peace process. This, the IRA says, they can do by honouring their obligations.