Declaration of `end of war' sought

The Taoiseach will be urging the republican leadership over the next few days to state that "the war is over". This move was signalled in the Dail yesterday in response to questions from the Fine Gael and Labour leaders concerning the final phase of the Northern referendum campaign.

Mr Ahern told Mr Bruton that it needed to be stated that the war was over. "The clearer that can be stated the better. Statements have been made in the last number of years by leading members of Sinn Fein and if they were firmed up it could be very useful," he said.

He also suggested that the analysis of the situation in the North showed that people's main fear was not decommissioning or the prisoners issue "but dealing with people in an administration who they believe might still be, or were, associated with violence. That is the central issue."

On the triumphalist appearance of the Balcombe Street gang at the Sinn Fein Ardfheis last weekend, Mr Ahern said they had talked about what was said, "but people should not forget the historic decision that was made last Sunday".

Sinn Fein voted to accept by massive numbers "which any of us would have been proud of in our organisation", to accept an assembly, institutional change, the Northern Ireland state as it is and to participate in it in government, Mr Ahern stated.