Ahern urged to recall peace forum

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern has been urged to recall a forum of political parties on both sides of the Border to resolve the crisis over the future of the IRA.

As Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern met Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness and SDLP leader Mark Durkan separately in Derry following two IRA statements this week, Green Party leader Trevor Sargent called for calm and a reconvening of the National Forum for Peace and Reconciliation.

"It is important to take stock of the peace dividend reduced paramilitary violence has brought in the last decade," the Dublin North TD said.

"If parties cannot work together, this is indeed serious. All can agree with the IRA statement on that point.

"However, we would urge the IRA to agree, in turn, with the Green Party and almost every other party to the Good Friday Agreement, that the block to progress is the threat of violence and the capacity for violence.

"In this regard, much depends on Sinn Féin and the IRA ending the option of armed struggle.

"I am now calling on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and all parties to seriously consider recalling the National Forum for Peace and Reconciliation."

Earlier this week, nationalist SDLP Assembly member Sean Farren also urged the Irish Government to recall the forum, which last met in Dublin two years ago, to deal with the political fallout from December's £26.5 million Northern Bank raid.

Sinn Féin and the Irish Government have been engaged in a bitter war of words over claims that the IRA was responsible.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell has told Sinn Féin there will be no place for them in government on either side of the Border until criminality ends.

However, the Provisionals have furiously denied they were involved in crime.

On Thursday night, an IRA source also accused the Irish and British governments of making a mess of the process.

"Do not underestimate the seriousness of the situation," an IRA statement said.

Politicians on both sides of the Border described the latest IRA comments as threatening. SDLP leader Mark Durkan said: "The IRA is coming close to saying 'don't dare criticise us or question us or the peace process gets it'," he said.

Democratic Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson compared the IRA to a schoolground bully, while Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the statement was tantamount to a threat against the Irish people and State.