Ulster Unionists have dismissed a New Year message from the IRA as offensive. The message is published today in the Republican newspaper, An Phoblacht. In it, the IRA repeats that it is committed to continuing to play a positive role in the search for a just and lasting peace. They also say that the search for a durable peace will continue to present challenges to all sides including the Republican movement.
However, it also says recent revelations about covert British intelligence operations show that the security forces in the North are trying to wreck the peace process. The statement also calls for movement on the issue of demilitarisation. The statement says that there can be no excuse for further delay in the implementation of aspects of the Good Friday Agreement that are the responsibility of the British government.
The Ulster Unionist security spokesman, Ken Maginnis, said that Unionists would be disappointed by it. The DUP Security Spokesman, Gregory Campbell, said that the statement proves the IRA does not intend handing over their weapons.
