IRA may disband units, claims paper
A Sunday newspaper report claimed the IRA is planning a secret meeting to discuss abandoning violence, destroying weapons in public and joining the governing body of Northern Ireland's police within weeks.
In return, the British Government has agreed to dismantle about a dozen watchtowers along the border, grant pardon to terrorists on the run and an amnesty to the Enniskillen bombers, according to the Sunday Times.
The report claimed these concessions are part of a planned deal to be discussed by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Downing Street on Thursday.
But the Taoiseach's spokeswoman said yesterday she could not comment in advance of the meeting between Mr Ahern and Mr Blair or indeed that they include a deal for the IRA to stand down.
The Taoiseach will renew his efforts this week to get the North peace process back on track by holding a series of meetings with the pro-agreement parties in Dublin and London in advance of Thursday's meeting, his spokeswoman added.
Mr Ahern will meet Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams and SDLP leader Mark Durkan in Dublin and Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble in London.
"These meetings will focus on a number of issues that are crucial to restoring trust among the parties by late February," the spokeswoman said.
Following the collapse of the Northern Assembly before Christmas the Ulster Unionist Council (UUC) agreed a very clear policy requiring the IRA not only to disarm but to also disband.
The UUC said it would not accept Sinn Féin on the Northern Ireland Policing Board as along as the IRA remains an active terrorist organisation.
The Sunday Times report claimed the terms of the planned deal are that:
The IRA would issue a statement expressing a willingness to stand down its active service units and pledging support for the peace process.
They would also agree to carry out a transparent act of decommissioning, possibly on film.
And this statement would possibly be accompanied by a willingness to join the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
Up to now Sinn Féin has resisted this, arguing reform of the police force has not gone far enough but legislation working its way through Westminster will accelerate the process.
In return, the British Government has agreed to dismantle about a dozen watchtowers along the border and grant pardon to terrorists on the run.
The planned amnesty that would apply to high profile offenders such as the Enniskillen bombers, who killed 11 people in 1987, is likely to cause the most controversy.
