If the republican movement accepted it had an obligation to decommission by next May it would act as a confidence-building measure and could unlock the door to political progress, the Ulster Unionist Party said yesterday.
In a statement, the UUP group in the Stormont Assembly called on the movement "to immediately accept that it has an obligation to decommission within the time-scale set out in the agreement. This would provide an essential confidence-building measure for the whole community, and could unlock the door to immediate progress".
The statement continued: "We cannot deliver an executive without a credible and verifiable start to a process of decommissioning illegal weaponry. This position will remain the same, both during and after the European elections."
The UUP comments brought a swift response from the Democratic Unionist Party, which described the statement as "the political equivalent of placing their collective toe in the Arctic water to see if a swim would be advisable for the ailing patient".
The DUP's Mr Gregory Campbell said: "The sequence of events outlined in their statement allows for a mere announcement from SF/IRA, followed by Gen de Chastelain confirming that a `credible and verifiable' start has been made to decommissioning and the insurmountable has been overcome."
However, Mr Alex Maskey, Sinn Fein chief whip in the Assembly, said it was very difficult to determine the true position of the UUP. He claimed Mr David Trimble said before departing for North America at the weekend that in his absence Sir Reg Empey would meet Sinn Fein and continue the inter-party dialogue but, since then, Sir Reg had refused even to speak on the telephone.
"Today's talk of `obligation' from the UUP lacks any credibility," Mr Maskey said. "The UUP has blocked progress since the Good Friday agreement was reached, especially in the establishment of the institutions."
Speaking on Radio Ulster last night, the UUP's Mr Dermot Nesbitt said: "If we can see somehow an outcome whereby both decommissioning and being in government are, shall I use the phrase `inextricably linked', surely we can find a way of getting to that agreed outcome."
He continued: "A statement by the republican movement to say `We wish to fulfil or we will fulfil our obligation to fully decommission within a two-year period' does free up a position where we might be able to move through to a sequencing of getting to what is our clear, determined outcome."
The UUP statement, issued after a meeting of the Assembly group to review the current political situation, was strongly critical of the IRA's continuing refusal to decommission.
"There is no prospect of a government in Westminster or Dublin including Sinn Fein ministers in a cabinet whilst the IRA remains fully armed. It is completely irrational and undemocratic to expect the unionist community, that has suffered for 30 years at the hands of the IRA, to have any faith in Sinn Fein's peaceful intentions when neither Prime Minister Blair or Ahern would share power with Sinn Fein without decommissioning," the statement said.
Meanwhile, the UK Unionist Party leader, Mr Robert McCartney, has expressed "sympathy" for Mr Trimble's party colleagues following reports that the UUP leader had met "secretly" with Mr Gerry Adams last Saturday.
"Mr Trimble consistently tries to keep even his own close supporters in the dark about what secret deals he is making with Sinn Fein, and Tony Blair and he continue to keep the voters in the dark about the pact with Adams and Blair on Friday, May 14th.. Why can't Mr Trimble publish these proposals and let us all see just what he was trying to palm off on to his long-suffering colleagues?" Mr McCartney asked.