Taoiseach hopes for IRA statement during summer

The Taoiseach and the Democratic Unionist Party leader the Rev Ian Paisley have held crucial talks in London today, with both…

The Taoiseach and the Democratic Unionist Party leader the Rev Ian Paisley have held crucial talks in London today, with both sides stressing they want to see action on decommissioning from the IRA.

The two governments are awaiting the IRA's response to Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams' call for them to commit to democratic means and declare the armed struggle over.

Everybody has their tongue out waiting for a statement from the IRA. We haven't got our tongues out
Dr Ian Paisley

A statement is expected during the summer, and Mr Ahern said after today's talks at the Irish Embassy in London that he hoped to see it before his holidays in August, though he could not be certain it would emerge before early autumn.

He said he was "not too concerned" about the timing of the statement, so long as it contained the elements needed to restore confidence and move the Belfast Agreement process forward.

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"To move forward, we need a clear, unambiguous end of all paramilitary and criminal activity and we need to see the completion of decommissioning," he said.

But he stressed: "It is not just words, it is deeds.

"If we get a statement on the issues I have mentioned, we would be very happy with the statement, but we would naturally enough want to see that they happen."

Speaking outside the embassy after his 90 minutes of talks with the Taoiseach, Dr Paisley said: "Everybody has their tongue out waiting for a statement from the IRA. We haven't got our tongues out.

"What the IRA says is totally meaningless, except we have action.

"We are not looking for statements. We are looking for action." Dr Paisley made clear that he did not envisage a return to negotiations over power sharing with Sinn Féin immediately after any statement, suggesting that it would be a matter of months before it would be possible to see whether the IRA was making good on any promises it might make.

And he said that before the people of Northern Ireland could be expected to allow Sinn Féin any part in the governance of the North, he would expect Dublin to declare that it regarded Mr Adams's party as a fit partner.

Mr Ahern acknowledged that he too did not expect the political process to be resumed immediately after any IRA statement. "I don't think it is going to happen the following week or the week after," he said. "Our view is that it is not a question of a period of time, it is that things happen."

Mr Ahern said the IRA could remain as a "commemorative body", organising parades and old boys' reunions so long as it gave up all involvement in paramilitary or criminal activity.

Mr Ahern, along with Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell, are meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair this afternoon.

(Additional reporting PA)