The history of the peace process since the signing of the Belfast Agreement in April 1998.
April 1998: Belfast Agreement signed on Good Friday.
December 1999: Power is finally passed to Belfast from Westminster and the power-sharing executive meets for the first time after 20 months of wrangle and delay.
February 2000: Northern Ireland secretary Peter Mandelson signs an order suspending the devolved Assembly after a failure to reach a deal on IRA decommissioning.
May 2000: Devolution restored after Ulster Unionist leader and first minister David Trimble secures his party's backing to return to government without IRA decommissioning, but only following a promise from the republicans to begin a process that would "completely and verifiably" put its weapons beyond use.
July 2001: Mr Trimble resigns as first minister over the continuing arms impasse. A month later Gen John de Chastelain, head of the international arms decommissioning body, says the IRA has put forward a plan to put all its weapons beyond use.
August 2001: With no sign of the IRA about to decommission, and no hint unionists will accept anything less, Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid suspends devolution. It is restored 24 hours later, resetting the clock for a deal by six weeks.
September 2001: Dr Reid announces second technical suspension, saying it will be the last. The following month the IRA says it had started a process of putting arms beyond use and Gen de Chastelain says he has witnessed "significant" disposal.
November 2001: Devolution up and running again.
April 2002: IRA says it has put a second tranche of its arsenal beyond use.
October 4th, 2002: Sinn Féin's offices at Stormont raided amid major police investigation of alleged IRA intelligence-gathering at the heart of government.
Mr Trimble warns the Assembly may not survive if action is not taken against Sinn Féin.
October 14th, 2002: Dr Reid announces suspension of devolution and reintroduction of direct rule.
May 2003: British Prime Minister Tony Blair announces the postponement of Assembly elections until the autumn because of lack of clarity over IRA's arms position.
November 2003: Assembly elections take place. The DUP and Sinn Féin emerge as the largest parties in unionism and nationalism.
January 2004: A Trimble critic, Lagan Valley MP and MLA Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, resigns from the UUP and joins the DUP, taking two fellow MLAs with him.
February 2004: Review of the workings of the Belfast Agreement launched in Belfast. It was put on hold in May for the European elections, resumed in Belfast in June and moved to Leeds Castle in Kent.
September 2004: DUP leader Dr Ian Paisley has landmark meeting with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, in Dublin. Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Paul Murphy says he hopes a breakthrough in the political process will come within weeks. Intensive talks continue in Belfast, London and Dublin.
November 2004: The British and Irish governments put their proposals for breaking the stalemate to the DUP and Sinn Féin. Talking continues. US President George Bush talks to Mr Paisley and Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams to urge them forward.
December 7th, 2004: Mr Adams says political process has reached "defining moment". Mr Paisley insists on photographic proof of further acts of IRA decommissioning. Mr Adams responds that republicans will not be humiliated.
December 8th, 2004: It becomes obvious there will be no deal. Mr Blair and Mr Ahern travel to Belfast to publish details of what might have been.
January 7th, 2005: The Northern Ireland Chief Constable Mr Hugh Orde says the IRA was behind the £26.5 million Northern Bank robbery in Belfast.
February 1st, 2005: Mr Blair and Mr Ahern warn the IRA that it must give up all criminal activity if there is to be any return of power-sharing in Northern Ireland. Following talks in Downing Street, the two men say the IRA's continuing criminal and paramilitary activity was the sole remaining obstacle to a peace settlement in the province.
February 2nd, 2005: The IRA withdraws future co-operation on disarmament, saying the scheme to put all its weapons completely and verifiably beyond use is no longer on the table. It denies it is an obstacle to a lasting and durable settlement over allegations of criminal activity.
February 3rd, 2005: Second IRA statement emphasises "seriousness" of the situation.