The Northern Secretary has said the British government will accept the findings of the European Court of Human Rights that flaws existed in the methods used to investigate killings where the state was involved.
Dr John Reid, responding to yesterday's ruling by the court that the deaths of 12 people, including 10 IRA men, a Sinn Fein member and a civilian, had not been properly investigated, said he welcomed the fact that it had not made any finding that the deaths amounted to unlawful killing.
"The criticisms are of procedures; the investigations, not the deaths themselves," he said.
He admitted that the court's criticisms had extended to other areas and "like any good government we will study those".
Some political parties, notably the DUP, had called for the court's recommendations on compensation and costs to be rejected by the British government, but although he did not state definitively what the outcome would be, Dr Reid said: "We always accept the rulings of the European Court"
A spokesman for Dr Reid said later that the Northern Secretary's reaction was an initial one and that the verdict was still being studied. Questions about compensation were premature in this light, he said.
Members of the British army and the RUC were directly involved in all but one of the cases. An army spokesman directed queries to the Northern Ireland Office.
An RUC spokesman said: "It will be necessary to study the judgment in this case in detail, and further comment at this time is inappropriate".
The Police Federation, which represents Royal Ulster Constabulary officers, said it was outraged by the ruling.
"If IRA members are killed in action carrying out a murderous deed they will be rewarded with a lump sum or pension," a spokesman said. "There really is no justice."
The North's Human Rights Commission however, said it was delighted with the ruling. Its Chief Commissioner, Prof Brice Dickson, said: "Government will have to make significant changes to investigative procedures, the prosecution process and the inquest system in Northern Ireland".
The RUC Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, said he accepted the court's findings but pointed out that most of them referred to other areas such as the Director of Public Prosecutions and the inquest system.