THE impasse The issue which caused the deadlock in the peace process was the insistence by unionists and the British government that all party talks could not take place until some paramilitary arms were decommissioned and the reverse insistence by Sinn Fein and the nationalist side that arms could not be decommissioned until all party talks had taken place.
Washington Three The third of three preconditions for all party talks set out by the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, in a speech in Washington on March 7th last. This condition has been central to the political impasse in the peace process. The three conditions are
. A willingness in principle to disarm progressively
. A common practical under standing of the modalities (see below) of decommissioning
. The decommissioning of some arms before all party talks
Twin track process A process launched by both governments on November 28th last, which set up two separate mechanisms to try to get around the impasse in the peace process. The two tracks became known as "the political track" and the decommissioning body.
The political track All parties were invited by the two governments to meet them to discuss the format, agenda and structure of possible all party talks. These are not "all party talks" as the parties do not all meet in the same room at the same time.
The decommissioning body The other track in the process. This body was asked to "identify and advise on a suitable and acceptable method for full and verifiable decommissioning, and report whether there is a clear commitment on the part of those in possession of such arms to work constructively to achieve that."
Verifiable decommissioning Permanently removing weapons from circulation, and being able to prove afterwards that this has taken place. In other words, it is not enough for paramilitary organisations to say they have destroyed weapons this process must be verifiable.
Modalities As in "the modalities of decommissioning". The practicalities or the ways and means by which decommissioning will take place.