Parties that want to be part of the government of Northern Ireland must be "clean" of any connections with paramilitary activity, British Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted today.
Mr Blair told his monthly press conference at Downing Street the Independent Monitoring Commission, whose first report earlier this week called for financial penalties against republican and loyalist politicians linked to active terrorist groups, would play a significant role in the peace process from now on.
Mr Blair said: "The question is, is this IMC process, the idea of an independent commission that monitors the obligations of the parties . . . is this going to play now a central role in the future of the peace process in Northern Ireland?
"And I think you can see the answer to that very clearly from yesterday. The answer is yes, it is going to play a central role, and it is going to play a central role because people in Northern Ireland and . . . the Republic of Ireland can see the full extent of paramilitary activity and can recognise therefore the justice of the demand being made by the British and Irish governments [and] all the other political parties in Northern Ireland.
"The only way we are going to deal with this is to make sure that people face up to the basic issue, which is that we have everything agreed in Northern Ireland and we just need one thing to come into place - that is the acceptance by everybody that we can no longer tolerate any level of paramilitary activity.
"That paramilitary activity, terrorism - whether it is so-called loyalist or republican - is what is holding the peace process back in Northern Ireland."
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams is due to meet Mr Blair tomorrow to discuss the report on paramilitary activity compiled by the Independent Monitoring Commission. Mr Adams is also due to discuss the document with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, next week.
The report, published earlier this week, claimed senior members of Sinn Féin were also leading activists in the Provisional IRA. It also accused the IRA of involvement in shootings, smuggling, hijackings and the attempted abduction of a dissident republican in Belfast in February.
Speaking in Belfast today, Mr Adams said the IMC was staffed by "spooks, spies and failed politicians" and its report had done untold damage to the peace process.
SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan said the IMC report had confirmed the IRA and loyalist paramilitaries were "beating people up and ripping people off".
Responding to Mr Adams' criticism of his party, Mr Durkan said: "That is what is disgraceful. And it must end if we are to have any chance of getting our democratic institutions of government fully up and running again and live in a normal society.
"The IMC report is useful because it forces everybody to face these facts. "Just as some people cannot handle the truth about collusion revealed by Cory, it is clear that some people cannot handle the truth about paramilitarism.
"Instead of lashing out at the SDLP, Gerry Adams should use his influence over the IRA to end paramilitary activity. The PUP and loyalists must do likewise."
PA