Bush stresses the need for decommissioning

President Bush has said that "substantial progress on decommissioning" is "essential" to the success of the British-Irish peace package.

Mr Bush, who is keen to be seen to be maintaining a close engagement with the North, issued a statement yesterday welcoming the two governments' proposals and also spoke to both prime ministers on Wednesday to reiterate his willingness to assist.

A White House spokesman told reporters the President believes the package is fair and that it charts the way forward.

Diplomatic sources say the President's statement reflects continued and balanced support for both governments. Statements of support were also issued by the Congressional AdHoc Committee on Irish Affairs and the Friends of Ireland.

The following is Mr Bush's full statement: "This morning I telephoned Prime Ministers Blair and Ahern to state my strong support for the package of proposals their governments released today to the political party leaders in Northern Ireland.

"I believe the package is fair and that it charts the way forward in areas central to the Good Friday agreement.

"The package allows the people of Northern Ireland to sustain devolved government and establish a police service with broad public support. It provides further steps for normalising the security presence in Northern Ireland and assuring the stability and integrity of the Good Friday agreement's political institutions.

"The proposals also recognise that a commitment to democratic governance and normalised security requires all parties to renounce violence and deal decisively with paramilitary weapons. Consequently, substantial progress on decommissioning is an essential part of today's package.

"In my conversation this morning, I commended the prime ministers for their continuing leadership on behalf of peace. I reiterated to them that the United States stands ready to help in any way that the governments and the parties find useful.

"I now urge all parties in Northern Ireland to reflect carefully on today's proposals and to do everything in their power to make permanent the progress of the past three years by taking the next steps to implement the Good Friday agreement."