Trimble calls for IRA to start decommissioning
Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble today made an eleventh-hour call for the IRA to begin disarming before he carries out a pledge to pull his party’s ministers out of the North's Government.
Mr Trimble is set to force the Stormont power-sharing regime into suspension when he returns from the United States tomorrow, by ordering his party out of the executive because of the IRA’s failure to decommission.
But amid reports that the republican leadership is on the brink of an historic move on weapons, the former First Minister expressed hope that the rumours were true.
He said: "We have been here before, we heard forecast and speculation before and we have been disappointed.
"I hope we are going to see a beginning to the process of decommissioning, I hope it’s going to be a good beginning in order to build confidence for the future.
"People know what they should do so let them get on with it."
The Upper Bann MP defined a significant start to putting weapons beyond use as being "actual decommissioning" verified by General John de Chastelain’s international disarmament group.
Mr Trimble is in the middle of a four-day visit to Washington to gain support among political representatives and the media for his strategy in Northern Ireland’s fragile peace process.
Among those he met was Richard Haass, President Bush’s special advisor on Northern Ireland.
Mr Trimble also answered criticism of his party after it emerged that some members held secret talks with the loyalist paramilitary Ulster Defence Association’s leadership.
South Antrim MP David Burnside came under fire when he said he had met leaders of bosses of group, Secretary of State Dr John Reid declared last Friday was no longer on ceasefire.
Mr Burnside defended his action by insisting that he was trying to use whatever influence he had to bring a halt to sectarian violence and murders in his constituency.
North Belfast Assemblyman Fred Cobain also disclosed that he met UDA members during the summer to discuss issues including decommissioning.
Mr Trimble refused to say whether he was made aware of the talks at the time, but said that his party had met paramilitaries in a bid to secure peace.
He said: "We have been inundated over the last month or two with people talking about the difficulties in north Belfast and south Antrim, and saying: 'What are you doing about it?'.
"Now when they discover that in fact we have been doing something about it they throw their hands up in horror.
"There are terrible situations in those constituencies. If people are to do something about it then it will occasionally involve talking to people they might not be eager to talk to in other circumstances."
