SF delegation to meet Blair in Downing Street

A Sinn Féin delegation is travelling to London tomorrow morning for a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

A Sinn Féin delegation is travelling to London tomorrow morning for a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

It is the first meeting between the party and Mr Blair since the IRA announced last Thursday it was ending its armed struggle and would use purely political means to achieve its goal.

Party President Gerry Adams, Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness, Assembly member Caitriona Ruane and party chariperson Mary Lou McDonald MEP will meet Mr Blair in the morning.

Asked yesterday about anticipated moves by the IRA to decommission, Mr Adams said: "I'm not going to speculate on any of that."

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"The IRA has made its commitments on that. It's between the IRA and the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning."

Reports last night said IICD head Gen John de Chastelain had returned to Canada following renewed contact with an IRA representative, dampening expectation of an early move by the IRA to put weapons beyond use.

Political sources in Dublin remain confident of an IRA move, but not an imminent one.