IRA's move from terror to democracy is over, says Blair

The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, has insisted that the period of the IRA's transition from terror to democracy "is …

The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, has insisted that the period of the IRA's transition from terror to democracy "is over". He also said he believes the Sinn Féin leadership now accepts this.

In an exclusive interview with The Irish Times, Mr Blair stopped just short of a formal demand for IRA disbandment, while asserting: "I think everybody knows what we are saying."

At the same time, he confirmed that an unprecedented British crackdown on loyalist paramilitaries is under way, vowing: "These people have to realise we are going to come down on them with every single bit of force and authority we possibly can."

Mr Blair told Sinn Féin he cannot reinstate the Northern Ireland Assembly or Executive without "willing partners" among the parties there, and warned republicans they cannot hope to benefit from continuing political stalemate.

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Specifically rejecting any possibility of joint British-Irish authority as an alternative to the Belfast Agreement, the Prime Minister said: "If there is an impasse as a result of confusion over paramilitary and political ends, there is no way I can cook up some solution with the Irish Government and slam it down. It is not going to work."

Mr Blair also confirmed that the agreement's continuing survival rests upon the dual consent of a majority of both communities in Northern Ireland, and repeats his 1998 promise that there will no "imposed" solution.

During the interview, conducted at 10 Downing Street on Wednesday, Mr Blair rejects suggestions that he is preparing for another exercise in peace process "choreography". He insists "there is no point in inching forward any more", and calls for "a big step forward, where the British government fulfils its mandate, the paramilitaries realise they can no longer use force to pursue political ends, and pollitics truly becomes normal at least in the sense that there is no mixing of paramilitary activity and politics."

The Prime Minister's uncompromising message was dramatically underlined yesterday following the arrest of another suspect in the ongoing police investigation into alleged IRA espionage inside the Northern Ireland Office and, now, in the offices of Mr David Trimble and Mr Mark Durkan.

And Mr Blair's words had also clearly been given an added edge by last weekend's so-called "crucifixion" of Mr Harry McCartan, reports of which had made the Prime Minister "physically sick".

Pressed on the apparent absence of corresponding British government demands for loyalist paramilitary groups to disband, Mr Blair said: "Let me make it clear that the activities of the loyalist paramilitaries are not just totally and completely contrary to law, but contrary to any decent sense of humanity."

He continued: "The only difference is that the loyalist paramilitaries are not connected to political parties and government, that is why there is a different situation there. But in terms of the paramilitary activity, of course it has got to cease and cease entirely."

Then, referring to the attack on Mr McCartan, the Prime Minister declared: "The other thing I would say - and you can see this from that appalling attack over the weekend which made me physically sick - these people have to realise we are going to come down on them with every single bit of force and authority we possibly can."

Citing more than 60 recent arrests, Mr Blair says of those engaged in continuing violence: "They are going to be treated for what they are, which is common criminals."