IRA disarmament move ‘imminent’

The people of Northern Ireland were today waiting for a historic announcement from the IRA and the international decommissioning body that the group had put some of its weapons beyond use.

Expectations that a move by the Provisionals was imminent heightened last night when Royal Ulster Constabulary Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan forecast disarmament would happen ‘‘very quickly’’.

Security and political sources were expecting statements from the paramilitary group and General John de Chastelain’s international decommissioning commission, confirming IRA disarmament within the next 48 hours.

The move would follow Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams’ confirmation yesterday that he and party colleague Martin McGuinness had urged the Provisionals to decommission their weapons in a bid to rescue the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Ronnie told a Society of Editors conference in Belfast that the two Sinn Fein lynchpins’ efforts represented a ‘‘very significant development’’.

He said: ‘‘It’s my estimation that these calls would not have been made by the people who made them without a real expectation on their part that something real will follow and follow very quickly.’’

In a speech to party activists in west Belfast earlier , Mr Adams said they ‘‘put to the IRA the view that if it could make a groundbreaking move on the arms issue that this could save the peace process from collapse and transform the situation’’.

It is believed IRA decommissioning could prevent the collapse of the Assembly, power sharing executive and other institutions in the wake of the resignations of Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble as Northern Ireland First Minister and five other UUP and Democratic Unionist ministers.

The IRA has been under pressure to disarm in recent weeks from the British, Irish and US governments as well as the other pro-Good Friday Agreement parties following the arrests of three Irishmen in Colombia and the US terror attacks on September 11.

A Stormont source said today: ‘‘I would be very surprised following Gerry Adams’ and Martin McGuinness’s simultaneous speeches in Belfast and New York if the IRA does not respond positively and very swiftly.

‘‘We’re looking at the next 48 hours and maybe confirmation of decommissioning as early as today.’’

Decommissioning was expected to set in train a series of choreographed moves leading to the removal of Army bases in Magherafelt and Newtownhamilton and two watchtowers in republican south Armagh.

It was also anticipated it would result in an attempt to secure the re-election of new First and Deputy First Ministers at Stormont, with Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble a possible candidate for the former and incoming SDLP leader and Stormont Finance Minister Mark Durkan a possible candidate to replace Seamus Mallon in the latter.

Mr Adams stressed yesterday the importance of unionists and the British and Irish governments responding positively to any act of decommissioning.

‘‘Generosity and vision on all sides can turn these current difficulties around and transform a crisis-riven process into an organic and a people-centred movement towards a democratic peace settlement,’’ the West Belfast MP declared.

The Sinn Fein leader’s speech was welcomed by the British and Irish governments and by the Ulster Unionists and nationalist SDLP.

Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid hailed the West Belfast MP’s speech as ‘‘a highly significant statement from someone of Gerry Adams’ authority and stature within republicanism’’.

Foreign Minister Brian Cowen described the speech as ‘‘very encouraging’’.

Michael McGimpsey, one of the Ulster Unionist ministers who resigned office at Stormont last week, also detected promising phrases in the Adams statement.

‘‘But so far these are words and we have been at pains to state that words are not enough - we want to see action,’’ he said.

The SDLP’s Mark Durkan believed the speech was positive and hoped there would be an immediate move on IRA disarmament.

However, the Rev Ian Paisley, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, which opposes the Good Friday Agreement, dismissed the comments.

He believed a ‘‘dirty deal’’ had been struck by Sinn Fein and the British Government.