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20/09/2001
Trimble increases pressure on IRA to decommission
As the time for nominations to the Police Board to be posted runs out, pressure has been increasing on the IRA to announce actual decommissioning of weapons.
Speaking after a private meeting with Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, on Thursday 20 September, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble said republicans have a “mountain to climb” if they want to convince unionists of their resolve to decommission.
The statement from Mr Trimble comes after the IRA announced it would be intensifying talks with the arms decommissioning body.
The IRA statement, sent to republican newspaper An Phoblacht, said: “The IRA leadership wish to confirm that our representative will intensify the engagement with the IICD.
“However, as we have said before, peace making and peace keeping is a collective effort. It is our considered view that the Irish peace process can succeed. The continued failure or refusal to sustain the political process and to deliver real and meaningful change has a direct bearing on how this will be accomplished.”
In a hard hitting statement Mr Trimble said: “The Republican movement must realise, after their failure to decommission in response to the Weston Park proposals, after the revelation of their activities over the past three years in Colombia, republicans no longer have any credibility with any section of the Unionist electorate.”
“If the political process is to continue as it is, then Republicans must act now to create the necessary credibility.”
After the meeting on Thursday, Mr Adams said: “Like what the IRA statement said, I believe there is a collective responsibility on everyone to make this process work. All of us want to get to the position where all of the guns are taken out of the situation.”
In response to the statement from the IRA, Secretary Of State Dr John Reid said: "The decision by the IRA to intensify and accelerate their engagement with the De Chastelain Commission is very welcome. The important thing now is that it is quickly built upon to reach a comprehensive resolution of the Arms issue."
The IRA statement has been taken as a token of not going far enough by the Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Speaking at a meeting in county Clare he said: “It’s not enough in terms of bringing us back to where we were last month. While the statement is progress, and a step in the right direction, it is only a step and we have to keep going.”
The SDLP assembly member for North Antrim, Dr Sean Farren, echoed Mr Ahern’s statement. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster on Thursday he said: “This statement is intended to convey a sense of movement. But I think most of us are aware that its two years since the IRA first agreed to engage with General de Chastelain and his Commission. Since then progress towards decommissioning has been almost imperceptible.” (AMcE)
Speaking after a private meeting with Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, on Thursday 20 September, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble said republicans have a “mountain to climb” if they want to convince unionists of their resolve to decommission.
The statement from Mr Trimble comes after the IRA announced it would be intensifying talks with the arms decommissioning body.
The IRA statement, sent to republican newspaper An Phoblacht, said: “The IRA leadership wish to confirm that our representative will intensify the engagement with the IICD.
“However, as we have said before, peace making and peace keeping is a collective effort. It is our considered view that the Irish peace process can succeed. The continued failure or refusal to sustain the political process and to deliver real and meaningful change has a direct bearing on how this will be accomplished.”
In a hard hitting statement Mr Trimble said: “The Republican movement must realise, after their failure to decommission in response to the Weston Park proposals, after the revelation of their activities over the past three years in Colombia, republicans no longer have any credibility with any section of the Unionist electorate.”
“If the political process is to continue as it is, then Republicans must act now to create the necessary credibility.”
After the meeting on Thursday, Mr Adams said: “Like what the IRA statement said, I believe there is a collective responsibility on everyone to make this process work. All of us want to get to the position where all of the guns are taken out of the situation.”
In response to the statement from the IRA, Secretary Of State Dr John Reid said: "The decision by the IRA to intensify and accelerate their engagement with the De Chastelain Commission is very welcome. The important thing now is that it is quickly built upon to reach a comprehensive resolution of the Arms issue."
The IRA statement has been taken as a token of not going far enough by the Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Speaking at a meeting in county Clare he said: “It’s not enough in terms of bringing us back to where we were last month. While the statement is progress, and a step in the right direction, it is only a step and we have to keep going.”
The SDLP assembly member for North Antrim, Dr Sean Farren, echoed Mr Ahern’s statement. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster on Thursday he said: “This statement is intended to convey a sense of movement. But I think most of us are aware that its two years since the IRA first agreed to engage with General de Chastelain and his Commission. Since then progress towards decommissioning has been almost imperceptible.” (AMcE)
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