The arrest of three IRA suspects in Colombia raised "very serious concerns - and credibility questions", the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, said last night.
The best way of resolving those questions was for the IRA to re-establish contact with the arms decommissioning body chaired by Gen de Chastelain and put its own weapons proposals "back on the table", he added.
Mr Cowen said his Department officials had been in touch with the Colombian authorities about the arrest of the three on alleged explosives training charges. "What have been emerging are a lot of conflicting stories, and I do not want to add to that. But clearly the credibility questions that are arising need to be addressed."
He said it would be "very odd indeed" not to be disappointed and concerned at arrests of this nature. "But the fact of the matter is that it is my concern to work over the coming weeks to build on the very substantial progress that has been made." He said he trusted Sinn Fein's commitment to building on the peace process.