Plans to remove NI watchtowers, says reports

The British government is understood to have commissioned plans for removing some British army watchtowers from the south Armagh skyline.

The proposal could form part of a plan to restore devolved political institutions in time for Assembly elections planned for this May.

Sinn Fein has for years been demanding the removal of watchtowers as part of Britain's demilitarisation commitments under the Good Friday Agreement.

In recent times, the party has said the IRA is willing to meets its obligations under the agreement if the British government draws up a timetable for demilitarisation, as well as policing, equality and human rights reform.

The plans for removing watchtowers in border areas was reportedly devised following a meeting earlier this month between Tony Blair, PSNI chief constable Huge Orde and Lieutenant General Alistair Irwin, the outgoing head of the British army in the North.

The plan's implementation would still depend on what the IRA is prepared to offer and on continuing dissident republican activity in border areas, particularly north Louth and south Armagh.

Both the Ulster Unionist Party and the Democratic Unionist Party are likely to oppose any plans to downgrade the British military presence along the border.