The IRA has said that it will allow further inspection of its arms dumps. In a statement this evening, the IRA also said that new talks would get under way with General John de Chastelain's decommissioning body, but only if it is satisfied that this would advance the peace process. The IRA said that, according to the record, it had honoured every commitment it has made.
It added that in many ways, this re-inspection was more important than the first inspection. That took place last June, and was conducted by Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and Martti Ahtisaari of Finland. The IRA statement has come ahead of Saturday's meeting of the Ulster Unionist Party's ruling council, where the party leader, David Trimble, faces pressure to withdraw from the Executive unless there is movement on decommissioning.
The Taoiseach said that the statement was encouraging and positive. He said that this was extremely important in confirming that the arms had remained secure and out of use. The Northern Ireland Secretary, Peter Mandelson, said that he was looking forward to receiving the report of another independent arms inspection. The North's Security Minister, Adam Ingram, welcomed the IRA's statement as a very helpful step forward and said that he was very much encouraged by it. Mr Ingram said it was something the two governments had been pushing for.
The Ulster Unionist Party tonight said that the IRA's offer of a second arms inspection was only a confidence building measure and separate from its commitment to put its weapons beyond use. The party called on the Republican movement to honour its obligations to put all IRA weapons beyond use in a complete and verifiable manner.
