The IRA has confirmed that its representative has met the North's Arms Decommissioning Body to discuss the issue of dealing with paramilitary weapons. The confirmation came in a statement to RTE News a short time ago. There had been strong speculation that such a meeting would take place this weekend.
A British newspaper report has named the representative as Padraig Wilson, who is described as the commander of IRA prisoners in the Maze jail. The report in the Sunday Mirror claims he was allowed out to meet the general yesterday in Dundalk.
Northern Ireland's deputy first minister, Seamus Mallon, has said that the powers which have been devolved to the northern assembly will never again return to Westminster. Mr Mallon told Sky television that, in those circumstances, he was absolutely sure that decommissioning would inevitably take place because no one would tolerate the breakdown of the peace process now that the institutions had been put in place.
The Northern Secretary, Peter Mandelson, has left London for the United States, where he will be briefing American officials and politicians on the state of the peace process. He is due to meet White House officials in Washington tomorrow before going to New York on Tuesday. He is expected to stress the importance of making progress on the arms decommissioning issue.
