The maintenance of the IRA's command and control structure is helping rather than hindering the North's peace process, the Independent Monitoring Commission claimed today.
Ahead of next month's all-party talks in Scotland aimed at breaking the current impasse, the IMC's 11th report said the maintenance of the IRA structure was actually an important element in keeping the organisation on the path of peace.
The Commission said it remained of the firm view that the Provisional IRA was committed to following a political path.
"It is not engaged in terrorist activity, by which we mean undertaking attacks, planning or developing a terrorist capability by, for example, procuring weapons or training members.
"The leadership is opposed to the use of violence in community control, has taken a stance against criminality and disorder amongst the membership, and has been engaged in successful dialogue to prevent violence during the 2006 parades season," it noted.
Senior members of the IRA were taking on roles in Sinn Fein and encouraging other members to do the same or to engage in community work, it added.
Significantly the report said: "The fact that PIRA retains a command and control structure does not in our view detract from this.
"Indeed, this structure is an important element in maintaining the organisation on its chosen path."
But Loyalist paramilitary groups, said the IMC, remained involved in violence — but they did not pose an active threat to the security forces.
In contrast to 2005, loyalist leaders contributed to a quiet parades season and some among them appeared committed to ending criminality among their members.
The ending of criminality had been more evident in the case of the Ulster Defence Association than the Ulster Volunteer Force and may reflect a positive strategic decision, said the report.
"The UVF refusal to clarify its position in advance of 24 November 2006 (the Government set deadline for a political breakthrough) remains a worry, not least in view of their refusal to decommission arms or in other ways to reduce their capability to revert to terrorism," it added.
The IMC also said dissident republicans did pose a continuing threat to the security forces and constituted "the most significant security threat in Northern Ireland".
They continued to engage in paramilitary activity and recent events had shown their wish to maintain their capability to do so.
The Real IRA claimed responsibility for fires which swept through four premises in Newry on August 9th.
About 125 firefighters tackled the blazes, which destroyed JJB Sports and Carpetrite. TK Maxx and MFI were also badly damaged, and around 20 homes evacuated.
The report, focusing on the normalisation process, said the British army and police had met the provisions of the demilitarisation process. All remaining watchtowers had been demolished in South Armagh, troops had been withdrawn from two more police stations and troop levels reduced.
The report also noted the defortification of existing police buildings, and the style of construction of new buildings in line with Patten Report recommendations.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland was also making progress in introducing new patrolling patterns. It said as far as the PSNI was concerned, the most striking recent development was the way in which the July 12th parades were policed without the need for military assistance — as has been the case for the earlier Tour of the North Orange parade in north Belfast.