Ahern says means provided to break logjam over arms

THE Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, said it was regrettable that before the ink was dry, the British prime minister appeared…

THE Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, said it was regrettable that before the ink was dry, the British prime minister appeared to have rejected the report. The following is an edited version of his speech:

"On behalf of Fianna Fail I warmly welcome and fully support the unanimous report of the International Body. The report provides the means for breaking the logjam over decommissioning which has stalled the peace process for over a year and it should, firmly grasped..

"The body listened to the different positions on the decommissioning issue, and has produced, in our opinion, an excellent compromise formula, which deal fairly and justly with the legitimate concerns of all parties and recommends a formula that will pave the way for all party talks in the near future.

"Fundamental to participation in all party talks is an absolute and unqualified commitment to the principles of democracy and non violence. The six principles put forward by the body involve an absolute commitment to democratic and peaceful means of resolving political issues.

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"They also involve a commitment to the total disarmament ultimately of all paramilitary organisations in a verifiable way, in effect their disbandment and a renunciation of the use of force or the threat of force to influence negotiations.

"They also involve a commitment to abide by the agreed outcome of negotiations and to seek to alter anything disliked in that outcome by exclusively peaceful methods. It also involves a commitment to making best efforts to stop and prevent punishment killings and beatings, which are not consistent with the absolute commitment to democracy and non violence that is required.

"There has been much heated argument about whether decommissioning should be or was a precondition to talks and we espoused a very clear and consistent public view on that issue. But the body accepts that the fears of the arsenals and a possible renewal resort to force were real. The principles, if affirmed and adhered to, would remove the basis of that fear.

"I am glad that the body found a clear commitment on the part of both loyalists and republicans to achieve full and verifiable decommissioning.

"I agree with former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds that it represents a major step forward that paramilitary organisations have been prepared for the first time in their" history to agree to verifiable decommissioning. This commitment comes not from political parties but from those in possession of arms. It is very important and should not be undervalued.

But the body did come to the conclusion that all parties in this House have come to, that the paramilitary organisations will, not decommission any arms prior to all party negotiations.

"They state, I think with a lot of authority That is the reality with which all concerned must deal". It is a great pity that the Irish Government and responsible parties in the House were not listened to on that score and that the British government were badly advised, assuming their demand was maintained in good faith.

"Progress on decommissioning is situated in the context of all party negotiations. II, for example, the British government or the unionist parties really attach the high priority to decommissioning that they say they do, then it is important for them to adopt the only route outlined in the report that will lead to decommissioning, engagement in all party talks as promised in the Downing Street Declaration.

"A delay in all party talks means a delay in taking weapons out of the situation...

"Phased decommissioning would provide confidence building during the talks process. We have always said that decommissioning should receive a high priority in all party negotiations.

"We support the establishment of an independent commission to provide for verification, and we agree the legal safeguard and amnesties required to make the process viable. We recommended in our main submission that the lasts solution in our view would be if the technical expertise of the Irish Army were to be made available, to assist in the decommission of IRA weapons.

"We also said Some verification would be essential if the positive effects on confidence building were to be achieved. Alternatively, the IRA might undertake the task itself with accredited observers

"As far as an independent commission is concerned, may I suggest to the Government that serious consideration should be, given, when the time comes, to appointing the Swiss based International Red Cross, which is utterly neutral and has access to all, possible expertise.

"The body makes a mildly positive but non committal neutral" reference to the idea of an elected body. Our belief is that the idea of an assembly or elected needs to be discussed in all party negotiations.

"I hope that the British government will give their complete support to the report and accept the compromise on the decommissioning issue. Given a positive and constructive response from Sinn Fein and the loyalists, I want the two governments to move together to convene all party talks before the end of February as they promised.

"I would strongly urge the British government not to move the goal posts yet again and to act in good faith with the communique of November 28th. I regret that before the ink is dry, the British prime minister appears to have effectively rejected the body's report as a means of moving directly towards all party talks.

"The assembly idea was only for the situation that the Mitchell report failed to resolve the impasse on decommissioning. The only reason that it does not resolve the impasse is because, the British government are continuing to insist on Washington 3, which nullifies the exercise.

"My view is that with political goodwill on all sides the body will have succeeded in resolving the impasse. For that reason, I now appeal for the commencement of all party talks."