The UFF last night warned there would be no decommissioning of its weapons at this stage. The loyalist paramilitary group said it would continue to hold on to its arms in order to defend loyalist areas.
"The refusal of the IRA to embrace the negotiations agreed between the British and Irish governments in London has underpinned the need for continuing vigilance, and reinforces our commitment that the loyalist people will not be rendered defenceless from attack by the IRA, which is fully intact and operational", the UFF statement said.
"We are secure in the knowledge that we are our own guarantors, and we will not seek from, or give to, the Government of the Republic of Ireland any guarantees about the affairs of Northern Ireland, privately or publicly", the UFF added.