Sir, - In its report of July 2nd, 1999, which was immediately endorsed by the British and Irish governments, the IICD stipulated that a paramilitary organisation would be deemed to have started the process of decommissioning when it had begun to discuss all the modalities, including timing, with the commission. The IRA has not yet said anything about timing.
The commission's statement earlier this week - "We believe that this proposal initiates a process that will put IRA arms completely and verifiably beyond use" - therefore violates its own definition.
This error by the commission could have very harmful consequences. To avoid that, the commission should now withdraw or qualify its statement, and the two governments, all political parties and democratically minded people throughout these islands should demand a commitment on timing from the IRA. - Yours, etc.,
Stephen Plowden, Albert Street, London NW1.